


Into the Depths

by Anthezar



Category: Teen Titans, Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: Action, Adoption, Angels, Angst, Apocalypse, Battle, Betrayal, Birthmarks, Budding Love, Corporal Punishment, Demons, Discipline, Doppelganger, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, End of the World, F/M, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Growth, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Light Romance, Nightmares, No Slash, Personal Growth, Platonic Female/Female Relationships, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Poor Father-Daughter Relationship, Puppy Love, Renewal, Secrets, Sequel, Sibling Bonding, Spanking, Teen Angst, Unconventional Families, Violence, Walloping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-01-26 16:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 245,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1695089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anthezar/pseuds/Anthezar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four weeks have passed since Dick went back to being the leader of the Teen Titans and he is still adjusting to his new life as the adopted son of Slade Wilson. Balancing time with his friends and his father poses its challenges, and staying out of trouble is getting harder than ever; especially when his nights are being plagued by the same nightmare.</p><p>Amongst it all comes a new Titan. Thus, puppy love, infatuation, and jealousy abound in the Tower and Dick must do everything he can to keep old friendships from becoming strained.</p><p>However, things get even worse as Raven’s 16th birthday approaches. Mysteries, secrets, choices, birthmarks, demons – the end is nigh. As both sides of the veil thin, a battle of colossal proportions threatens to overwhelm the world – and even when the jaws of Purgatory opens its mouth wide with bared fangs, higher forces are always prepared with the perfect plan for the bite.</p><p>A story of friendship, of forgiveness, and of renewal; that no matter what, the supernatural forces that are in existence are always watching over those who reside on the earth; and finally, that sometimes for the ones we love, terrible sacrifices are made to keep them safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kitchen Trouble

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will be on Fridays once all current chapters are uploaded. (That'll take some time.) But for now, here's the first chapter. :)
> 
> Also, for new readers, this is the sequel to Forgotten Bonds.

**Chapter One**

**Kitchen Trouble**  

 

 **April 27th, 2009. Monday, 5:01 am.**  

Things were unusually bright that morning. 

Well, as unusually bright as it could be at  _five o'clock_  in the morning this brisk April day. But that’s what it felt like, anyway. Slade had found himself unable to sleep too well that night and had been perusing a newspaper in the effort to fall back asleep; but, feeling the need for an early morning snack, he emerged from his bedroom. However, Slade found himself drawn to some noise that was currently floating from the kitchen. With his large folded newspaper in hand, he walked down the hallway. 

His eyes were first assaulted by the state of the normally pristine kitchen. Flour, bowls, batter adorned the countertops. Spoons, forks, bowls all covered in batter and flour were sprawled over the table. Slade could’ve sworn his cabinets were supposed to be plain wood and not the currently spotted dapple white with a mixture of cream and chocolate batter. How there was batter on the  _ceiling_ , Slade would never wish to find out. 

Basically, the kitchen was a disaster. 

Well, the old man, Wintergreen, was definitely not the perpetrator of this. Which left the only possible culprit: Slade’s adopted fifteen year old son, Dick, who just also happened to be Robin, the Boy Wonder and leader of the Teen Titans. 

Now how that came about – that Slade Wilson, ex-Deathstroke the Terminator became Robin’s father – was a long,  _long_  story and one far too long to relate at five o'clock in the morning. Needless to say, the two of them were pleased with the arrangements and Slade found that he had his hands full with this energetic, precocious, danger attracting,  _heart failure inducing_ , crime fighting teen wonder. 

Already having a full head of white hair had its perks. 

A mop of raven hair darted around the kitchen. The boy didn’t see Slade standing at the hallway entrance. Slade raised an eyebrow as he noticed that the boy was speckled with copious amounts of white flour; black hair dappled white. There were a few mumbles of  _“Where is it?”_  from the boy, before he darted to a lower cabinet and opened it. How that boy managed to fit  _half_  his  _body_  inside it, Slade would never know. 

 _Ah_ … But there was this airborne, wiggling target that was just  _too_   _irresistible_  to pass up. 

Besides, the kitchen looked like the fridge threw up all over it – this was  _payback_. 

In two strides, Slade reached his objective. With the heavy newspaper in hand, Slade gave the pajama bottomed target one hard swat. The boy jumped so bad out of his skin – it was downright hilarious. There was a cry of shock and pain as the boy banged his head inside the cabinet. That target wiggled as he pulled himself out of the cabinet, falling backwards onto his rump and holding a spot on his head. Slade was graced with a mixture of shock and outrage in the young boy’s expression. 

“ _Dad!_ ” cried Dick, rubbing his head. “What was  _that_  for?” 

“ _What was that for?_ ” repeated Slade, tapping the paper on his arm. “First of all, you know better than to leave yourself in such a  _vulnerable_  position.” 

“I should be safe in  _my own home!_ ” 

“Second,” continued Slade, ignoring the boy. “Have you  _seen_  the state of this kitchen? What on earth have you done in here?” 

Dick flushed slightly and ducked his head, still rubbing at the spot on his head. 

“I was, uh… practicing… how to bake,” said Dick, his young cheeks bearing a pink blush. 

“What, the kitchen itself?” drawled Slade. Dick flushed even brighter and glared up at Slade. 

“ _No._  I was trying to bake a cake.” 

“You don’t say.” 

“I was!” 

“Well, it appears you baked everything but the cake,” said Slade with a wry smirk. “Mind telling why?” 

Slade held out his hand. Dick accepted it and was pulled to his feet. Slade began to brush flour from off the boy, lingering a little longer on top of his head to ruffle his hair playfully. When Slade lingered even longer, he was rewarded with a small giggle and the jerk of the head. 

“Well?” 

“Um… Well… Ah, Raven’s birthday is just four weeks away and I was… just getting a head start on it,” said Dick, faltering slightly as he found his words. But at the end, he put on a bright smile. 

Slade paused, watching the boy carefully. Dick was smiling at him, but there was a deep hesitancy in his blue eyes. There were light bags beneath those eyes as well, a well known sign that he wasn’t sleeping well for a few days. It was more than obvious that Dick was holding something back. A touch of concern licked at Slade’s chest as he wondered why Dick wasn’t saying what was really wrong. 

But that smile was trying to cover it up. 

“Aha. Is that why my kitchen needs to be hosed down?” drawled Slade dryly, deciding against pressuring the boy. “Why on earth didn’t you ask Will for help?” 

“I don’t want Will’s help,” cried Dick, looking indignant. “I want to make it on my own.” 

“ _At five o'clock in the morning?!_  Good grief, boy, why the unholy hour?” 

Dick raised an eyebrow. 

“Since when were hours ever holy?” 

“No tangents at this hour, boy,” drawled Slade, his visible grey blue eye glinting slightly. “Why so early?” 

A darkened light entered Dick’s eyes. However, it was brief as he shrugged and rubbed the bridge of his nose; leaving a brush of flour there. 

So it was true – Dick really was holding something back. By the look of his appearance and the time, it was probably another nightmare. But why wouldn’t he come to Slade about it? Hadn’t Slade made very sure to always be supportive over the nightmares? He knew that with Dick’s past, his nights sometimes were filled with the previous terrors that haunted his young life. 

If that was the cause this past night… Then, why hadn’t Dick sought Slade out? 

Slade let a small smirk lift his face and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. He commenced wiping the flour from the boy’s face, exaggerating his movements for the mere fact of messing with the boy. Dick endured it for a moment, before there was a giggle and whine. 

“Stop it,” said Dick, pulling away, but smiling anyway. 

“You resemble a rolling pin,” said Slade, still smirking. “Maybe we should put  _you_  in the oven and see what pops out. Maybe we’ll get roast duck.” 

“Roast robin would be tastier, right?” grinned Dick impishly. 

“Now  _there’s_  a delicious suggestion,” drawled Slade. He considered the boy for a moment. Then, so swiftly that Dick couldn’t have seen it coming, Slade scooped the boy into his arms and tossed him over his shoulder to dangle there. 

“ _Ah! Dad!_ ” 

There was a giggling shriek as Slade used his free hand to tickle the boy’s side. There was quite a bit of flailing and laughter as Slade continued his assault on the boy’s sensitive stomach. No amount of pushing of the arms nor kicking of the legs could save the boy from Slade’s grasp and fingers. The kitchen was flooded with laughing cries and pleas. 

Such sounds were heaven sent to Slade’s ears. 

“I give!” cried Dick finally, his breathing heavy from his laughter. “ _Please, stop!_ ” 

The boy wiggled harder in Slade’s grasp as his fingers danced along side of Dick’s lower stomach. There were more giggles and cries. 

“Mmm, should I?” said Slade, his voice drawled coyly; letting his fingers tease the boy’s side some more. He was further rewarded with another spazz of limbs from the boy. 

“ _Yes!_ ” begged Dick, trying to escape those fingers, yet thoroughly trapped. 

“I suppose I should,” commented Slade, his tone deeply regretful. He lifted Dick up and wrapped his arms around Dick’s thighs so that he was lifted in the air; his speckled black hair brushing against the ceiling. The boy’s chest heaved in deep gasps as he began to calm down. But there was a pleasant expression on the boy’s face as he looked down at Slade. 

“No more tickling,” said Dick, folding his arms and giving Slade a forced grumpy look. 

 _Heh, who said?_  

Slade playfully pinched the side of Dick’s thigh. The reaction was downright comical. The boy squirmed horribly, losing his balance slightly as he gasped. In the quick moment, Dick had to unfold his arms and grab Slade by the shoulders to retain his balance. There was a startled, widened expression gracing the boy’s face at that. 

“ _Dad!_  Don’t do that!” cried Dick, his hands tightening on Slade’s shoulders. 

“Oh? Why not?” asked Slade, acting completely innocent. He gently pinched both sides of Dick’s thighs this time. 

“ _Ack!_ ” 

The boy flailed in Slade’s arms again; completely losing his balance as his arms slid forward with his head falling to the side of Slade’s neck. In turn, Slade dropped part of his hold on the boy so that one of his arms supported his seat, while the other supported his back – with Dick’s arms surrounding Slade’s neck. Slade tightened his hold on the boy. 

“You’re super tricky, you know that, right?” whispered Dick as he tightened his arms around Slade’s neck; his legs slowly wrapping around Slade’s waist. Slade adjusted the boy’s weight so he could better hold on him. 

“The best of his kind.” 

“If you wanted a hug, you could’ve just asked, you know.” 

With the hand that supported Dick’s back, Slade gently swatted the boy on his seat. 

“Impudent little imp!” 

There was a giggle. Dick pulled back in Slade’s arms and grinned mischievously; his bright blue eyes glimmering. 

“The best of his kind.” 

Slade let a genuine smile spread across his face. He slowly lowered Dick back to the ground and pulled the boy back into a hug. Thin arms responded by wrapping themselves around his waist as the boy buried his face into Slade’s chest. 

Times like these were becoming far too precious to Slade. The soft, gentle times where he could see Dick smile like this – such moments were becoming ingrained inside Slade. With each passing day, it seemed as if Slade were becoming shackled to wanting more and more of these dear moments. 

Slade never thought his heart could change any more than it had. Just how much further could it get after completely altering his ways and desires in life? Surely his heart couldn’t get any more soft than it had. The mere thought of it would’ve sent sickened chills to his stomach months ago. 

But it seemed that Slade was becoming a victim to the laughter and smiles that Dick produced so effortlessly. 

It was just too easy to get hooked. 

“Dick,” began Slade in a soft, gentle voice; hoping the boy would be receptive to his tone. “Tell me the real reason why you’re up so early.” 

The boy stiffened in his arms. If Slade wasn’t sure before, he had no doubts now. Those arms tightened around Slade’s waist; that head buried itself deeper into Slade’s chest. There was a shuddering intake of breath before it was let out slowly. 

“Dick?” 

“ _Don’t wanna talk about it_.” 

The whisper reverberated deep within Slade’s chest. He placed a hand onto Dick’s head, stroking the speckled strands of black hair; hoping to bring comfort to the child when it was obvious something was troubling him. 

 _Another nightmare, I suppose._  

That worried Slade, there was no doubt about that. Weren’t they becoming more frequent lately? That wasn’t natural, was it? Surely with the new stability inside Dick’s life, wouldn’t those old terrors soon fade, not  _increase?_  

And Dick hadn’t once told him what the dreams entailed, which was odd. Dick wasn’t exactly forthcoming with his nightmares, but he usually would mention  _something_. To not even mention that he was having a nightmare was very disturbing to Slade. 

Last week or so, when Dick brought that blasted cat into the haunt, the only thing he mentioned was one thing:  _“Everything was horrible.”_  

What kind of dream could that be? 

Slade withdrew from the hug to clasp Dick’s cheeks; forcing the boy to look up at him. Those bright blue eyes averted their gaze, trying their hardest not to look up at Slade. 

“Look at me.” 

The boy tucked his lower lip in between his teeth for a moment, before his eyes slowly looked directly into Slade’s single eye. 

“You do know that you can always come to me, correct?” 

Dick nodded within Slade’s hands; a glimmer of light flashing over his eyes. 

“Then, why haven’t you?” 

There was a brief moment where Slade truly thought that Dick would open up – where answers would be revealed. Those bright eyes glimmered with such intensity, as if they so wished to tell him everything. But then, the gentle light disappeared quickly from those eyes as Dick shrugged and pulled away from Slade’s touch. The boy turned his gaze to the side and shrugged again. 

“It’s not a big deal, Dad. I’m okay.” 

Slade was a bit startled with himself as he felt disappointment flow over him like a tidal wave. What would he have done months ago when they hadn’t been father and son? Would he have forced the answers out of the boy? Would he have threatened until the boy complied with his wishes? Would the boy have told the truth or something else that would’ve only placated Slade? 

The unknown was driving Slade insane, but he wasn’t sure what to do any more. 

How was he supposed to help the blasted child if he didn’t come to Slade for these types of things? Wasn’t that what being a father meant? How could he be there for Dick if the boy didn’t open up? It was difficult not to feel disappointed and annoyed. 

But then again, the boy was fifteen now. At times, he would want Slade’s help and comfort, while other times he would want to endure alone. 

But wasn’t that what Dick  _didn’t_  want? 

A startled gasp pulled Slade out of his thoughts. He turned around to see the old man, Wintergreen, in a dark brown robe; his hazel green eyes wide in shock. He ran a hand through his pepper grey hair with his other hand on his hip. 

“ _By the stars above!_ ” cried Wintergreen; his hand dropping to his other hip. “What in heaven’s name happened in here?” 

Slade chuckled at the look on the old man’s face. Well, it was true – the kitchen looked like road kill, that was for sure. And the little culprit was trying to hide behind Slade currently. Still chuckling, Slade wrapped his arm around Dick’s back and forced him forward towards the old man. 

“Throw me to the lions, why don’t you?” muttered Dick.

“More like the lioness,” said Slade with a smirk. That earned him a deep glare from Wintergreen. 

“Your laundry is overdue—” 

“Of course, it is.” 

“I am  _not_  in the mood to play games here, Slade!” cried Wintergreen as his aged eyes continued to glance around the entire kitchen; taking in every messy detail that splattered the cabinets. “First the feathers, now my kitchen.” 

The old man put his face into his hand. 

“Heaven grant me strength,” murmured Wintergreen, shaking his head. Then, with a fierce light in those hazel green eyes, he lifted his gaze and laid it upon Dick. 

“ _Richard Jonathan Slade Wilson Grayson_ , just what have you done with my kitchen?!” 

“Why am I in there?” commented Slade dryly; folding his arms and smirking at Wintergreen. 

“That’s a mouthful for sure,” nodded Dick; mimicking Slade’s fold of the arms. The man looked down at him; a smirk heavy in his features. 

“Did you change your name?” 

Dick shook his head. “Not that I know of, sir.” 

“Stop it, the pair of you!” said Wintergreen, sounding thoroughly exasperated with them. “Richard, just what have you done in here?” 

There was a long moment where Dick considered the old man. Then, he quickly pointed up at Slade with a mischievous grin on face. 

“He did it!” cried Dick. He tried to dart away, but was instantly caught by the collar of his pajamas. The force caused Dick to bump into Slade’s chest. He looked up at the man with a sheepish expression before he tried to flee once again. There was no escape for Dick as this time he was caught by the ear. Wincing, he was pulled back to Slade. 

“Well, what do you think we should do with him, Will?” asked Slade, looking down at his captive. Dick sighed deeply and threw his arms up into the air; submitting to his defeat. 

“Aw, just hurry up and wallop my butt over this, will ya?” 

There was a heavy smirk that lifted Slade’s face. 

“Oh, I have a  _much_  better punishment in mind.” 

Dick gulped at the sadistic, roguish look on Slade’s face. 

Thus, that was how Dick found himself on his hands and knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor after straight after breakfast. He never knew just how annoying flour could be. Trying to get it out of the floor was a literal pain in the butt. It was truly taking him hours just clean everything up. Even by the time lunch came around, Dick still hadn’t finished with half of the kitchen mess. Now afternoon, he had a sinking feeling he wasn’t going to be finished by dinner time either. 

It was definitely far faster to mess it up in the first place. 

Dick leaned back on his heels for a moment, drawing his arm up to wipe against his dampened forehead. He sighed as his arm dropped to rest on his thigh. He looked around the kitchen, staring at the remaining  _multiple_  items of mess that he had created in his attempt at baking. 

Well, so he wasn’t a baker. He could cook, but he supposed that the finer details of baking eluded him. He had been trying to practice for Raven’s upcoming birthday. He knew his friend didn’t really like making a big deal of things, but Dick honestly felt that it’d be a good idea to celebrate her birthday – to show her that they were glad she was their friend. 

Something wet fell from the ceiling and landed on Dick’s head; slowly sliding down his right temple and over his cheek. With a hand, he swiped the gunk from off his face with a grimace. 

Maybe he should ask Cyborg to bake the cake… 

But that wasn’t the only reason Dick had been up so early in the morning. He could’ve used the kitchen at any time, truly. Wintergreen would’ve allowed him use of it. It had only been an excuse to use up time and forgot the terror that ravaged his mind now.

His nights were no longer peaceful. 

Every night now –  _every night_  – Dick experienced the same thing. A total of nine nights had played that same nightmare over and over in his dreams. It was never changing – no change in variance whatsoever. Those same terrible,  _horrific_  images every time; the land covered in molten fire; buildings that were once powerful and indestructible laid in ruin and rubble; the sky was darkened in a fiery orange red color, ominous in its oppressive nature – everything built to the cruelest of images and experiences. The dream made it feel all too real – as if he were truly experiencing it first hand. 

But that wasn’t the worst of it all. 

The thing that horrified Dick the most was the carnage. Humans of all ages were scattered across the landscape. Dick had never seen death like this before. Such imagery was burned in his mind forever. How something so awful could rise inside Dick’s mind, he could never understand. He never subjected himself to such things – just where was this imagery coming from? How could his subconscious come up with such horrific things on its own? 

And then, when the worst couldn’t be any more horrifying, there was always one more thing which pushed him over the edge. It was the one part of the dream that made him feel like it had a life of its own; the only part of the dream that did actually vary – that life mocking him with an all too familiar voice; every word doing its all to tear down his soul to the very depths of despair. 

 _Those horrible red eyes…_  

Every time Dick awoke, his entire body felt sickened. Sweat poured from his skin; his heart pounded out of his chest; his stomach felt nauseous to the point of wanting to throw up. Lately, he hadn’t screamed any more, of which Dick was grateful for – he didn’t want Slade to know what was going on. 

It was just too horrible to word out loud. He felt that if he worded such terrible things out loud, they’d have no choice but to come to pass. Dick felt a sickly worry eat away at his heart every time he woke up from the nightmare. It was getting so bad that he was barely sleeping these past nights. 

But he really didn’t want Slade to worry. 

Dick wasn’t sure what to do any more. All he knew was that he never wanted to talk about it. He never wanted to speak the words that could bring life to the nightmare. He never wanted it to be a reality, because somewhere deep inside Dick’s very core, he felt as if the dream was some untold reality of the world. 

Such a thought chilled his very soul. 

So, Dick kept it buried. Anything to avoid speaking such things out loud; anything to avoid the reality of its horrors; anything to protect his tender heart. However, in the process, it was beginning to destroy him. 

But what could he do? 

He was trapped inside his own mind. There was nothing he could do to escape from it all. Even if he did talk to Slade about it, what could the man do for him? Talking about it would only make it worse. 

His pocket buzzed suddenly, ringing a soft tone as it was muffed there. Dick withdrew his phone and answered it. 

“Yo, Robin, where are you? Why aren’t you at the Tower right now?” came Beast Boy’s questioning voice through the phone. Dick sighed lightly and sat back onto his seat; his legs crossed. 

“I, uh… got into some trouble, you could say,” said Dick sheepishly, scratching his cheek lightly. There was a horrified gasp on the other side of the phone and Dick had to quickly move it away from his ear before he went momentarily deaf by the loud voice that boomed through the receiver. 

“ _What?!_  Did Slade  _spank_  you?! You okay?  _What happened!?_ ” 

The heat flushed through Dick’s face immediately, reaching so high that he could’ve sworn his hair turned red to match his cheeks. With his face ever so hot, Dick brought the phone to his mouth and took a deep breath. 

“ _BB! Shuddup!_ ” 

Dick took another breath to calm himself down, ever aware of the fiery heat in his face at the total embarrassment and mortification that was pouring through him at that moment. Honestly, why couldn’t Beast Boy show just a  _little_  consideration here? Surely he knew how  _embarrassing_  it was alone without the  _whole_  freaking world knowing. 

“It’s not any of your business how or  _if_  my father disciplines me or not,” hissed Dick into the phone, trying extremely hard not to grind his teeth. 

“ _Sooo_ … Did he?” 

“ _No!_  He, in fact,  _didn’t_.” 

“But—” 

“Would you shut up already?!” 

Dick let out a heavy sigh before he continued. 

“Look, I just have to clean the kitchen, all right? No big deal.” 

“Oh. Well, that’s not too bad.” 

“You haven’t seen the kitchen yet,” muttered Dick under his breath. His tone rose as he said, “Sorry, not sure if I’ll be at the Tower today.” 

“Aw, tough luck.” 

“Yeah, pretty much. Oh, hey… uh, BB?” 

“Mm?” 

“N–no one else is in the room with you… right?” 

“Huh? Uh… no. Oh, wait. Well, Star’s in the room. Why?” 

Dick nearly died right then and there. His already flushed face seemed to be on fire now. He closed his eyes and tried to will it away, but it didn’t listen to him. With a trembling hand, he lifted the phone closer to his mouth. 

“BB.  _Your days are numbered!_ ” 

With that ear splitting shout, Dick shut off the call; shoving the phone back into his pocket. He slapped his hands to his heated cheeks and groaned deeply. How could Beast Boy be  _so_  clueless! How could he just say those things so easily in front of a girl and in front  _Starfire_  no less!?  _How embarrassing!_  Just how the heck was Dick supposed to look Starfire in the face after that? It was hard enough already without more difficulties. 

How utterly embarrassing. 

That was the newest thing going inside Dick. He was becoming more and more aware of the fact that he liked Starfire. Not just as a friend nor as a best friend, but as in he  _really_  liked her. It was getting so bad that he could barely look her in the eyes without blushing hard. His stomach would get all strange on him and flutter oddly whenever she was in the room or whenever she spoke. He just wasn’t sure what to do about it any more. Talking to her about it seemed worse than fighting with Plasmus, the radioactive sludge monster. And he sure as heck didn’t want to talk to Slade about it. 

That would be completely awkward, if ever. 

Besides, Dick didn’t think the man could handle it. While Slade was many things, Dick highly doubted he was exactly the world’s leading expert on matters of the heart. It wasn’t like his last relationship ended all that… beautifully. Especially since said woman actually shot out his eye. Such knowledge wasn’t exactly heartening to Dick. 

Maybe the old man could provide a few pointers… But then again, the old man wasn’t exactly married. In fact, now that Dick thought about it, he didn’t really know much about Wintergreen. He knew more about Slade than the old man. Maybe Wintergreen  _could_  offer some advice on matters of the heart. 

Although… the more Dick thought about it, the more he didn’t want to talk to  _anyone_  about what he was feeling over Starfire. It was just too embarrassing. 

With a soft sigh, Dick flopped back onto the hard floor of the kitchen to stare up at the ceiling. He groaned internally at the sight of the mess there. He still had a long way to go in this kitchen. He closed his eyes; thinking deeply. 

Well, he would just have to take one day at a time. Hopefully he wouldn’t make an idiot of himself in front of Starfire – not that she seemed to care or notice those types of things. He was a bit lucky on that matter. 

A light beeping sound lifting into the air. Dick sat up and noticed the red light flashing on his utility belt beneath his shirt. He quickly stood and ran down the hallway to his room; shedding his shirt and pants as fast as possible. Beneath his clothes, his Kevlar suit was always ready. Usually while at the Tower, he just wore the suit, but back here at home, he wore it beneath normal clothing. He grabbed his domino mask from his desk next to his bed and darted out of the room. He burst inside Slade’s bedroom, breathing hard for a moment. 

“Dad,” said Dick, “I gotta go. Trouble.” 

Slade was sitting at his computer. On the screen were a number of formulas dealing with what Dick knew was the healing serum. Slade turned around and stood up; folding his arms. 

“How’s the kitchen looking?” said Slade with a look that completely appeared as if he knew the answer. Dick grimaced slightly and bit his lower lip. 

“I promise to finish cleaning the kitchen; I swear. I have to go, though. Please?” 

Slade gave him a hard look before he let out a tired chuckle; shaking his head. 

“All right, but you better come back afterward.” 

“Of course, Dad,” said Dick with a bright smile and a laugh. He turned to leave, but hesitated for a moment. Then, fast as a bullet, he darted back to Slade and threw himself into hug. He felt the man startle slightly, taking a step back from Dick’s impact. But then, he felt those strong arms wrap around him in a warm embrace. After a few moments, there was a gentle swat to Dick’s lower back. 

“You better get going, imp,” said Slade with a chuckle in his throat. Dick pulled back and smiled. He gave Slade a wave of the hand before darting out the door. 

“See you later!” 

“Mmm… Be careful.” 

ooOOOOOoo 


	2. Earth and Stinger

**Chapter Two**

**Earth and Stinger**  

 

 **April 27th, 2009. Monday, 2:47 pm.**  

The sun shone brightly that afternoon, a gentle, salty breeze flowing through the air. Car hocked, people talked, people laughed; the bustle of the city never ending. Most, if not all, were unaware of the teen – the one which they hailed as a here – that was running across the rooftops. 

“Cyborg, where’s the trouble?” asked Dick, just before he leapt off a roof. Swiftly, he shot a grappling hook to the other side and smoothly sailed through the air to the other rooftop. He landed in a crouch and waited for Cyborg’s reply, which came quickly. 

“South side of the city – mountain range,” said Cyborg through the communicator. “We got an alert that a colony of scorpions went on a rampage. Something about a disruption of their nests.” 

As Dick turned to go in the direction of mountain range of the city, he frowned slightly. 

“Why would there be trouble over scorpions, Cy?” 

“Apparently, they’re big. _Really big_.” 

“Wonderful,” drawled Dick, unaware just how much he sounded like his adopted father at that moment. “All right, see you guys there.” 

Dick cut the communication and pocketed the communicator. Without ever slowly down, Dick leapt from rooftop to rooftop with his grappling hook. It took him a few minutes to reach the appointed area, but he didn’t mind too much. The feeling of flight was truly wonderful and he was thrilled to be out of the haunt – _yeah_ , he still called it the ‘haunt’; still a home, though – and out of that horrendous kitchen. 

Life felt pretty good at the moment. He didn’t have to worry about his sleeping issues, he didn’t have to clean an impossibly messy kitchen, and he could just bask in the free feeling he was experiencing as he swung from rooftop to rooftop. 

Being a Teen Titan definitely had its high points. 

“Hey, team!” said Dick with an excited wave. He landed on the upper side of a rock face and smiled as he saw all four of his friends waiting for him. He was greeted with the usual expressions. 

“Robin! It is glorious to see you today!” cried Starfire. Instantly, Dick was collided with a pair of strong arms that tightened around him; his senses were overcome with the scent of her hair as it fluttered in his face. For a moment, Dick wondered whether or not he was going red because of physical contact with Starfire or because he couldn’t breathe. 

Both seemed like probable suggestions. 

“H–hey, Star. Nice to see you, too,” said Dick; his voice slightly choked from her tight hug. Starfire pulled back and smiled blindingly at him. Dick was momentarily dazzled. _Well, this was troublesome_. It took him a moment remember exactly where he was. 

“Yeah, man, I totally thought you were on house arrest today!” piped up Beast Boy, folding his arms; but appearing happy that Dick was there. 

Subtle alarm rose inside Dick’s chest. He hoped to all the heavens above that Beast Boy would keep his obnoxious mouth shut about the conversation they had earlier. With jerky movements, he managed to turn his gaze over to Cyborg – hoping to steer the conversation a thousand light years away from any potential embarrassing subjects – who was giving him a strangely smug look. 

“I’m the leader of the Teen Titans,” said Dick, trying extremely hard not to stutter. “Gotta go when there’s trouble. Uh, so, just where _is_ the trouble?” 

It took a minute for that smug look to slide off Cyborg’s face, his human eye flicking back and forth between Dick and Starfire. Dick wanted to groan, but he held it in. He couldn’t help about being obvious. He froze nearly _every_ time now around Starfire. It was getting downright annoying. 

“Not sure,” said Cyborg with a light shrug. “All I know is that someone complained about a disturbance in the mountains. They mentioned a colony of scorpions, but not much else was said.” 

“Do you know who gave you the tip? Male or female?” 

There was a shake of the head. 

“Female, but that’s it.” 

Dick frowned. He turned his gaze out towards the canyon. He took a few steps forward to the edge of the cliff. The canyon was wide, but the distance could still be grappled across. Broken stone littered the sides of the rock face, dust flying upward as the wind blew through the canyon. 

Another breeze fluttered through Dick’s hair, stands of his black bangs flying against his cheek – he hadn’t bothered to spike it back today, due to his kitchen cleaning. There’d been no time to gel back his hair, but he didn’t mind so much any more. 

His eyes continued to take in the canyon as Starfire lifted into the air floated next to him. 

“What are you thinking, Dick?” asked Starfire in a low whisper. Dick smiled lightly. She was doing it more – calling him by his real name. He had to admit: he rather liked it. He liked hearing his name from her lips. He glanced over at her, happy that he wasn’t completely freezing up at that moment – definitely a rarity that he needed to work on having become more common. 

“Not sure. Something strange is—” 

His words were drowned out by a tremendous roar in the canyon. Dick had to grab onto Starfire’s wrist to steady himself as the ground shook furiously. Rocks broke beneath his feet and he stumbled backwards to avoid falling, landing right on his seat. He winced, gritting his teeth. 

“Robin!” 

“I’m fine, Star,” said Dick, just as Starfire began hovering over him. He quickly leapt to his feet, brushing the dust off his Kevlar pants. 

“What the heck was that?” asked Cyborg, trying to get as close to the edge of the cliff as he could without falling. His eyes scanned the depths of the canyon, but there was nothing in sight. 

“It sounded like it was big,” commented Raven, her dry tone flat. 

Then, there was another fierce roar, the ground trembling again. The entire team tensed, preparing for a fight that was sure to follow. Then, an enormous boulder in canyon exploded forth. Something small ran through the falling stone and broken rock, blonde hair flying out, while the largest scorpion Dick had ever seen was chasing close behind. 

He had never liked scorpions. He just wasn’t a poisonous bug person. Those pincers, that long stinger, those creepy beady eyes – he never could understand what was the appeal of Silkie to Starfire – none of that appealed to him as a child, nor as a teen. He had always preferred martial arts or some type of physical activity as a pastime, even before becoming the ward of Bruce Wayne, Batman. 

It wasn’t that they weren’t cool or interesting, he just preferred them _dead_. 

Unfortunately, there was a giant, _live_ scorpion – which was _definitely_ at least three times larger than a school bus – and it was thrashing down the canyon in a hot chase. Before Dick could shout out the usual call to fight, the scorpion had cornered its prey. Dick looked down into the canyon to see – _to his horror_ – that it was a girl. She was boxed in, with no way to escape. 

In the moment just as the monster was about to strike and the Titans about to jump to the rescue, the earth trembled once again. Dick was about done with all these earthquake like movement below his feet. True, it was California, but he definitely preferred the ground to stay _still_ , please. 

Yes, indeed. 

The girl below was lifting her hands, a yellow light appearing around them; her eyes glowing yellow as well. An overhanging boulder lifted into the air as the earth continued to tremble. Then, with a shout, the girl threw her arms downward; the boulder crashing on top of the enormous scorpion. There was a terrifying screech from the monster as it was completely crushed by the boulder. 

“Looks like we don’t even need to help,” said Cyborg. “It’s like she was leading it into a trap.” 

Dick frowned slightly; remaining quiet for a moment as he observed the event below. The girl had been leading the monster into a trap, it would definitely seem that much. There was a slight smug look on her face – that much Dick could see. 

But how did she know? 

How did she know about the dead end or the fact that the Titans would be there right at that moment, perfect to display her skills? That’s certainly what it appeared to be – especially since they had received an anonymous tip, from a female no less. Was it all coincidence or preplanned? Dick had been taught by two men – first Batman, then Slade – to observe every possibility in a situation. Not only that, he was also more perceptive than the average teen male. 

Something in this situation just didn’t seem right to him. 

The earth groaned at Dick’s feet yet again, causing him to glance down. The edge of the cliff was beginning to crumble where the girl had cut the rock face off with her powers. Before he could think even more on the matter, the earth down in the canyon shook slightly. There was a loud, furious roar. The enormous boulder that was on top of the monster shivered and shattered into small rocks, which slowly crumbled into dust – the scorpion completely broke free. 

The girl screamed. 

Dick quickly pulled out his grappling hook. 

“ _Titans, go!_ ” shouted Dick, sending his grappling hook across the canyon. 

The group ran into action as Dick leapt off the edge of the rock face, swinging down towards the girl. The large scorpion screeched terribly; its dark eyes flashing red. Its stinger poised above her before it came rushing down at a frightening and powerful speed. There was another scream. Dick swung by; grabbing the girl around the waist just as the stinger blasted into the ground where the girl had been. 

Apparently, he was fast enough. Dick gave out a low cry of pain as part of the stinger scraped his right arm. Rocks exploded, blasting him off course. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he threw out another grappling hook to redirect his path to the other side of canyon with the girl in his arms. Once his feet touched ground, he dropped to all fours; breathing heavily as the pain washed through his arm viciously. He flexed the hand on his injured arm, forcing it work properly through fierce will power. 

There was a gasp from the girl. 

“Oh, no, you’re hurt!” 

“I’m fine,” said Dick; his tone curt. He hissed slightly as he saw the wound. There was a trail of blood sliding down his forearm from the deep gash that adorned the area to the side of his elbow. Quickly, he dug into his utility belt and pulled out a long cotton bandage strip. He deftly wrapped his elbow and forearm with it to stop the blood flow. 

“Hey, I’m Robin. And you’re?” 

“Terra—” 

“Nice to meet you, Terra,” said Dick; quickly overriding her. He stood up from his crouch and turned towards the fight. He lifted his arm in a wave. “I gotta join the fight. You stay here.” 

“But—” 

“Stay safe.” 

Dick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, with a fierce cry, he leapt into the fray. The creature was thrashing into the walls of the canyon, trying its everything to attack the other four Titans. Rubble and stone shattered against the canyon ground as the monster throttled the rocky sides. Starfire was throwing an many green starbolts as she could at the monster. Raven was lifting earth with her black magic and striking the creature’s back. 

However, it seemed as if the monster’s thick armor was making it impervious to damage. 

Dick landed onto the trembling ground as the scorpion continued to thrash and fight. Beast Boy quickly transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex and engaged the creature; snapping and biting his enormous jaw at the scorpion’s thick armor. Cyborg opened his arm into his sonic cannon and sent out a blast. The scorpion screamed in fury; its stinger lashing down at Cyborg – who ducked quickly and rolled away. The ground burst from the impact of the stinger; shattered rocks spraying in all directions.

“We can’t stop this thing,” cried Cyborg as Dick came to his side, crouching beside him. “Star’s bolts aren’t doing anything and neither are Raven’s attacks. BB can’t get a bite into either and my cannon isn’t penetrating its armor.” 

“We can try,” said Dick. He stopped for a moment, watching the raging battle. The pincers of the scorpion lifted into the air and snapped at the girls that flew in the air. Its stinger lashed in the air as well, trying to take down anything it could. 

“Yo, Rob, you’re bleeding,” said Cyborg, bringing Dick’s attention to him. Then, Dick glanced at his arm, which was bleeding through the bandage; the crimson color staining the pure white cloth. 

“I’m fine,” repeated Dick, for what seemed like the thousandth time that day; putting a hand over the bleeding bandage. “We need take out the stinger first. Stop trying to break through its armor.” 

“I can help.” 

Dick startled slightly and turned to see Terra crouching beside him. Her light blonde hair folded down over her eye briefly before she tucked it behind an ear. He glanced past the girl to watch the ongoing battle between the monster and a Tyrannosaurus Rex Beast Boy. Starfire and Raven were supporting the green dinosaur with their own attacks. Then, he looked back at the girl.

“I thought I told you—” 

“Hey, I can _help!_ ” 

Dick narrowed his eyes beneath his mask, carefully gauging the girl in front of him. She was determined to lend a hand it seemed and to be honest, any assistance would be most helpful. 

“What can you do?” asked Dick. 

“I can manipulate the earth,” responded Terra. “If you want rocks moved, I’m your girl.” 

Dick’s mind quickly formulated a plan. His eyes were quickly taking in each of his team members, along with this additional help that could be used. As his mind finally reached a decision, he turned his gaze towards Cyborg. 

“All right, Terra, get a us a big rock. A _really big_ rock. BB, Star, and I will continue to occupy its attention. I need Raven to cut the rock with her powers to a point – unless you can do that,” said Dick, stopping in the middle to look over at the girl. For a moment, she hesitated, before she slowly began to shake her head. There was a sharp nod from Dick before he continued, “Right, then; Cy, your job will be to take out the stinger. Thrust the rock towards the base when I give the signal.” 

“All right, then, leader!” said Cyborg with a grin, snapping to action. He stood up and called Raven down, before informing her of the plan. As he did that, Dick turned to Terra. 

“Work with Raven to prepare a sharp rock. Listen to what she says.” 

Without waiting for a reply, Dick bolted forward to his feet and into the fray. Beast Boy was continuing to engage the raging monster in his Tyrannosaurus Rex form. Starfire was constantly throwing starbolts at the thrashing creatures; flying through the air to avoid one of its large pincers that kept trying to attack her. All the while, Beast Boy was trying to attack it head on; biting the other pincer with his ferocious teeth. 

Dick raced on the ground past the falling rocks and debris that filled the air as the monster crashed into the walls of the canyon. Its unearthly voice screeched loudly, piercing Dick’s ears. But he continued to run without stopping; dodging the rocks and clacking legs of the scorpion. He whipped out a few ammunition discs from his belt and began throwing them one by one at the feet of the monster. 

An instant later, they all exploded; causing the monster to lose its footing and crash into the left side of the canyon. Dick slide out from beneath the head of the scorpion just in time. He rolled out of the way as Beast Boy’s giant foot came down near him in the battle; smashing into the earth with a large _crunch_. Dick hurried to his feet and ran beneath the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex. Once he reached the tail, he leapt upward, running along Beast Boy’s back. As the large dinosaur reared back in a tremendous roar, snapping his teeth, Dick leapt off, flying down on top of the scorpion’s head. 

Dick pulled out his grappling hook and shot it toward the stinger – about three fourths of the way up. He kept running; waiting for that moment when the hook would catch and require his strength. Just as he reached the very end of the scorpion, the very moment he jumped off the back of the creature, his grappling hook wrapped around the stinger. With a shout of strength, Dick tugged on the grappling rope with all his power; his muscles flexing with the exertion. 

His feet crashed on the rocky ground, dust flaring up as he landed. He wrenched the line with shout, fighting against the power of this tremendous monster. His feet dragged against the dust as he struggled against the scorpion. The power that was inside this small section of the scorpion was indomitable; strength with such an intensity beyond anything Dick had ever experienced. Still, he endured against it and threw everything he had in taming the lashing tail. 

He threw his head to the side, searching for Cyborg in the upper areas of the canyon. When he saw the older teen, ready with a large, sharpened boulder on his shoulders, Dick screamed his command. 

“ _Now, Cyborg!_ ” 

Dick’s strength was waning against this impossible creature, but he focused all his energy on holding down the stinger. He truly couldn’t believe the power it had just within its tail. Starfire was flying above the scorpion, tossing her starbolts down on the armored back – they glanced off, however. The tip of the tail lashed out dangerously beside Dick, but he held onto the grappling line as Cyborg leapt into the air. The older teen thrust the rock beneath him, straight down at the base of the scorpion’s tail. 

It connected. 

A second later, Dick felt all the power die in the tail, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground; landing hard onto his back. There was bloodcurdling screech from the scorpion, along with a burning, hissing sound near the base of the tail. Dick had to roll out of the way as the tail thrashed with a life of its own. A part of the skin scraped his arm, causing a light burn. He rolled to a crouch, dust clinging to his sweaty skin. He hissed slightly as new pain latched onto his upper arm. His other injured arm was stinging viciously as the dust and grime sneaked inside the simplistic bandage. 

Then, Dick’s eyes widened in horror. 

At the base of the scorpion, bursts of molten lava were spewing forth. Cyborg had rushed out of the way after his attack to avoid getting burned; however, a burst flew into the air before Starfire could be warned. 

The scream that echoed through the canyon chilled Dick’s very heart. 

“ _Starfire!_ ” cried Dick, bolting to his feet. He ran forward, dodging the now enraged and injured scorpion. A purple, orange figure was falling out of the sky, light steam trailing behind her. Dick pushed his body to its limits as he rushed to catch her. A second later, Starfire’s dead weight landed in his outstretched arms; causing the pair of them to crash and roll into the ground. Through it all, Dick held Starfire close to his chest. 

There was a lull moment – even when the battle raged around the two of them – as Dick breathed deep, heavy gasps for air, his chest choked with a sharp stitch. There were rattling hisses of pain from Starfire. He drew her closer as he dragged their bodies to the wall of the canyon, away from the smashing feet of the scorpion. 

“Star, are you all right?” asked Dick, pulling her up so she could rest against his chest. “Where’d you get hurt?” 

“M–my leg,” whispered Starfire, continuing to take gasps of pain. Dick’s eyes immediately flittered to her legs, causing him to suck in his breath in shock. On her left thigh was a terrible burn, about the size of Dick’s hand. Even part of her skirt was burned along the edge of the area. The burned flesh was blistering, the color darkened from her usual bright orange tan. It was certainly a second degree burn, verging on third degree. But there was no time to heal her. 

His arms unconsciously tightened around her for a moment. Then, he snapped into action and pulled out another long cotton bandage strip from his utility belt. Carefully, he leaned her against the wall of the canyon and knelt down in front. Ever so gently, he began to wrap her burn, avoiding pulling on it too tight so that the blisters wouldn’t break. Every now and then as he did so, Starfire would suck in her breath as a wave of pain assaulted her; causing him to go even more slowly and carefully. 

When he was done, he scooped her up in his arms. 

“Ro–Robin? I can—” 

“No, you can’t,” said Dick, his voice strong. As the battle continued to go on tirelessly, Dick leapt away from the fray to find a good place to set Starfire down to rest. 

“But Robin—” 

“It’s okay, Star. I’ve got you.” 

If Dick had been looking down and not watching for falling debris, he would’ve seen the gentle blush that graced Starfire’s cheeks. But he missed it. Instead, he tightened his arms that were holding her beneath the back and legs. A moment later, he found a safe upper area and gently set her there. Starfire was giving him an unusual look and he couldn’t help but feel unsettled by it. 

“What?” asked Dick, raising an eyebrow at her. 

“You are… stronger.” 

Dick let out a chuckle. 

“I better be, after all the training Dad’s put me through.” 

Those monochromatic eyes dipped in a kind smile. Starfire put a hand to her mouth, her eyes squeezing shut as she began to giggle. As Dick watched her with another raised eyebrow, an impression came upon him, making his cheeks burn. 

Even with the dust sticking her glistening skin, even with the dust marring her clothes, even with her hair slightly tangled and messy, Dick couldn’t help but notice one very important fact – Starfire was still beautiful. 

Of course, this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that. Still, his brain went there, distracting him from the battle that he was sorely required in. All he could do was take a moment to watch her giggle and laugh, her dirty face crinkling with laugh lines. 

“Yes, I am sure that Slade has taught you much.” 

For some reason, Dick blushed. Something about the way she said that statement caused the heat to intensify in his cheeks. He forced his head to the side, drawing in a deep breath, before looking back at her. 

“Are you gonna be all right?” 

Starfire nodded. “I am perfectly fine. You have tended to my wound most expertly. I can still fly. There was no need to carry me.” 

“But don’t,” said Dick, his tone firm. “Stay out of the fight. We’ll finish it.” 

He turned away, but he stopped, glancing back at her for a moment. She gave him an encouraging smile and he turned back to the battle. He took a deep breath, Starfire’s smile imprinted in his mind. A gentle warmth flowed through the pit of his stomach. With a mischievous laugh escaping his lips, he leapt down; pulling out a grappling hook midflight and connected it with the other side of the canyon. 

Raven and Terra were currently trying to fight against the monster, while Cyborg was helping Beast Boy his feet, who had transformed back into a human and appeared thoroughly exhausted at that moment. His green eyes looked at Dick, concern filling there. 

“Is Star okay?” 

“She’ll be fine, she just got burned,” answered Dick. 

“Why the heck is there _lava_ coming outta this thing’s butt?” demanded Cyborg. 

“That’s a very good question,” said Dick, snorting once. Then, his expression turned serious. “We have to kill it, though. It’ll destroy the city otherwise. Beast Boy, you think you can keep it occupied with me while Cy and the girls get ready again?” 

Beast Boy gave a weak nod. 

“Yeah, definitely.” 

“Excellent.” Dick turned to Cyborg. “Same as before, but this time aim for the scorpion’s brain – right in between the eyes. We’ll give you a clear shot now that the stinger is out. Then, we’ll bury it.” 

Cyborg only nodded and the three of them broke away to do their jobs. Cyborg communicated with Raven and Terra, while Dick and Beast Boy leapt into the fray. The canyon shook as a giant green Tyrannosaurus Rex landed on top of the scorpion with a colossal roar that seemed to rattle Dick’s brain in its cavern. A moment later, the dinosaur had leapt off the back of the scorpion, swinging his tail into the face of his enemy. A large pincer struck back. 

Dick wasn’t far behind Beast Boy. As he leapt down into the canyon, he threw three ammunition discs at its another pincer, ice instantly forming along the claw as they hit their target. Steam hissed from the arm, a moment later the scorpion smashed its claw into the canyon wall; ice shattering into pieces. As Dick landed nearby, he didn’t have time to dodge the pincer that caught him in the chest. 

He was thrown backward, smashing into the rock behind him. Pain burst across his entire back, a choke bursting from his mouth. It took him a moment to clear his head with the sparkling lights that began to pop in his sight. He struggled to get to his feet, groaning slightly from the pain. Good grief, this was getting annoying. 

Beast Boy was struggling against the monster as well, being smashed into another area of the canyon wall; broken rocks falling to the ground from the blow. His transformation broke and the young boy was lying face down in the dirt; struggling to get back up again. Dick looked up towards the sky, hoping to see if Cyborg, Raven, and Terra were ready. 

This battle needed to end, _now._  

Then, Dick saw that Cyborg was ready. He whipped out another grappling hook and shot it towards the closest pincer. It connected, wrapping around the pincer. A second later, Dick felt the familiar strength and power of this creature. He fought against it with all his remaining strength, sweat trickling down his temples. There was a lull in power struggle and Dick used that time to shout. 

“ _Now!_ ” 

With a thunderous roar, Cyborg threw the sharpened rock down, nailing the scorpion monster right in between the eyes. The beast screeched and writhed with a terrible unearthly voice. 

“Bury it with the rocks!” cried Dick. 

Side by side, Terra and Raven lifted their arms in the air, each of their hands glowing their respective colors of power. Boulders of all sizes piled on top of its head and pincers. Beast Boy pulled back, transforming once more, and barreled into the side of the canyon, causing rocks to fall down. Cyborg did the same with his sonic cannon at the other side. Soon, the dying scorpion was covered with rubble and stone, only part of his body visible. 

Its dying sounds echoed through the canyon, before a stillness fell over the canyon. A gentle breeze fluttered by, giving Dick a comfortable respite from the sweat in his face. A tickle slid down his temple and he lifted a hand to wipe it away. He let out a soft huff of relief. He looked up at the edges of the canyon. Cyborg, Terra, and Raven were gathering themselves together. Beast Boy had transformed into a hawk and had flown to Starfire’s side. 

A few moments later, the four team members and Terra had congregated around Starfire. Dick looked over each of his teammates. Raven didn’t look injured, though there was plenty of dust and dirt on her clothing. Cyborg was in a similar position, as was Terra. Beast Boy had a few tears on his uniform at the shoulders and a few scratches on his face, but overall he was unharmed. He had flopped to the ground and was breathing deeply; appearing thoroughly exhausted. Dick himself had a gash on his right forearm, to the side of his elbow – which was still bleeding through the white bandage – and a light burn mark on his other arm beneath his shoulder. Without a doubt, everyone was covered in copious amounts of dust, which stuck to their sweating skin. 

They pretty much looked like a disaster had struck them – which it had, interestingly enough. 

“Here,” began Raven, kneeling down beside Starfire. She held her hands, a silvery power glowing from them. They hovered over Starfire’s injured thigh. It took a few minutes before Raven pulled back. “There, that should help the burn. I don’t think it’ll scar.” 

“I thank you, Raven,” said Starfire with a smile, placing a hand over the bandage and touching it softly. She gave the other girl another smile. “It no longer pains me.” 

Dick was at her side in a second as Starfire tried to stand. At first she protested his aid, but Dick silently took her by the underarm and helped her to her feet. She put a little pressure on her leg and smiled again. 

“I will be fine. Please, Robin needs healing more than I.” 

Dick tried to protest this, but Raven completely ignored him. Dick had no choice but be sat down and prodded for healing. Raven put her hands over his bandage, a glowing, silver light surrounding them. Relief began to fill Dick’s flesh as he felt a cooling sensation rest over his arm. Then, he could actually feel his skin being knitted back together again. Raven pulled back after a few minutes. 

“That’s all I can heal right now,” said Raven. “The wound can still open if you aren’t careful, but the deep gash is healed.” 

“Thanks, Raven, it’s good enough,” said Dick with an appreciative smile. He stood back up again, uselessly brushing dust from off his Kevlar pants. Then, he turned his attention to the outsider that had aided them in the fight quite well. He held out a hand to the blonde girl, “Thank you, Terra, for helping us. We couldn’t have done it without you.” 

The girl looked taken aback. Her cheeks flushed as her sky blue eyes darted from side to side. She lifted her arms in the air and waved them nervously. 

“No, no, I didn’t do much. You’re the _Teen Titans_ , after all. Of course, you’d have beaten that thing without me.” 

Dick only smiled knowingly. 

“Everyone has their limitations.” 

He looked over the group again. Everyone looked exhausted. It certainly wasn’t one of their more glorious or heroic battles, nor did they appear pleasant. Truly, they looked like a group of rugrats in bright, slightly obnoxious costumes that had played in the dirt. It was an amusing picture for certain. Dick lifted an arm and wiped the perspiration that had built up on his brow. He placed his hands on his hips and gave everyone a wry smile. 

“Guys, we’re a mess.” 

The group looked at him, before breaking out into giggles and laughs. 

“We should go for pizza,” said Cyborg finally, still laughing with the others. 

“Would they even serve us?” asked Beast Boy, giggling. 

“Doubt it.” 

Dick snorted at Raven’s deadpan voice. Giggling still flowed over the group as he gave a wave to the young blonde girl. 

“Well, gang, I haven’t formally introduced her, but this is Terra.” 

The blonde was greeted with an enthusiastic greetings – well, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire were enthusiastic; Raven was just Raven. 

“Well, you may know us as the Teen Titans, but you might not know us individually. I’m—” 

“Robin, yeah, I know,” said Terra, grinning at him. “I know everything about you guys, you totally rock!” She began to point to each in succession. “You’re Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy.” 

Beast Boy looked floored that she actually knew his name. In fact, the only thing he was currently doing was staring at the girl with a light flush glancing across his cheeks. It was quite comical to see the young thirteen year old staring at the blonde as if he’d never seen a girl in his entire life. At least Dick admitted he had crush and while he tried his best not to make it _too_ obvious, he knew he was failing pretty badly at it. 

Looks like Beast Boy was joining that party. 

“So, what brings you to Jump?” asked Dick. 

“I go where the wind takes me,” said Terra with a shrug. “It’s really great. I get to travel, see new places, and if I stop a few bad guys along the way, all the better.” 

Beast Boy almost appeared as if he were drooling. “So _cool!_ ” he cried finally, apparently forgetting that one fact – he basically was doing the same thing. Terra seemed pleased by his response, giving him a blushing smile. Dick shook his head, but then a thought entered his mind. 

If Terra was traveling around the country, then that would only mean one thing. 

“So… You don’t have a home?” asked Dick, his voice quiet as he looked at the girl. Terra shrugged with a smile, lifting her arms into the air. 

“The earth is my home. My name is _Terra_ , after all. And besides, there’s this great cave that I’ve been camping out in. It was completely calling my name.” 

There was a horrific gasp. 

“This is unacceptable!” cried Starfire, looking aghast at the very thought that this girl had to sleep in a cave. “You must stay with us! I cannot bear the thought of our new friend sleeping in a gloomy, dark cave.” 

Terra blinked. 

“I have a flashlight.” 

“Yeah, come on, Terra, you gotta stay with us!” cried Beast Boy, tugging on her arm. Cyborg joined in the group and began to push her forward. “What if another scorpion comes along? It’s not safe out here! You don’t wanna be in a creepy cave all by yourself.” 

“Yeah, man, there’s plenty of room at the Tower,” said Cyborg. 

“I think it’s safe to say we’re not gonna take ‘no’ for an answer,” said Dick, folding his arms and giving the girl a smirk rivaling his father’s. Terra looked from Starfire, to Beast Boy, to finally Dick, before she let out a resigned sigh. 

“All right, all right, I suppose I could stay for _one_ night.” 

“Or for one thousand nights!” cried Starfire, happily lifting in the air and clapping her hands together.

“Well, I’m not sure I can stay _that_ long…” 

The other three members of the Teen Titans chattered happily as they guided their new friend towards the Tower. Dick stayed behind, watching them go. Raven held back as well, glancing over at him. 

“Are you not coming?” asked Raven. 

“In a minute, there’s something I want to check out first,” said Dick, pulling out his grappling hook. He shot it across the canyon and swung down into its depths; stopping next to the defeated scorpion that now lay dead. He landed near the only area that wasn’t covered in rubble. Raven levitated down after him. 

“Something wrong?” asked Raven, walking up to his side. Dick frowned and knelt down at the body of the scorpion. 

“I’m… I’m not really sure,” said Dick, hesitantly touching the hard skin of the beast. It felt frightfully hot and he had to retract his hand in a snap. His fingers rubbed his burning palm, trying to alleviate some the pain. After a moment of studying the creature, Dick pulled back and grabbed his bō-staff from his utility belt. The instant it expanded, Dick thrust the end of the staff into a cracked section of the scorpion’s body; pushing with all his might. 

There was a cracking sound, followed by the sound of hissing steam. A moment later, the crack widened; causing Dick to leap backwards to avoid what oozed out of its center. The molten material slowly flowed from the crack, sizzling slightly. 

Dick lifted the end of his staff to inspect it. The tip was melted through, the edges of the metal a fiery red. 

Molten lava continued to ooze out of the dead scorpion. Dick glanced upward, taking in every visible detail of the creature. Raven took another step forward, doing the same. After a moment of silence between the two – only the sound of sizzling, crackling lava lifting in the air – Raven finally spoke up. 

“Well, that’s not normal.” 

Dick let out a pent up sigh, shaking his head once. 

“No, it’s not.” 

ooOOOOOoo


	3. Spattering Dissonance

**Chapter Three**

**Spattering Dissonance**  

 

 **April 27th, 2009. Monday, 4:52 pm.**  

Terra was surrounded by Titans like kindergartners flocked around a kitten upon first sighting. 

It was an interesting sight, that was for sure. Especially since kindergartners were probably a little cleaner than the Titans were at that moment. Not even hosing them down would’ve done much good. But being the light hearted teens that they were, it didn’t seem to bother them as they excitedly ushered their new friend into their home. 

Terra appeared thoroughly impressed with the Tower as she looked around. Well, it _was_ a pretty impressive piece of work – thanks to Cyborg’s ingenuity. He had designed and built the Tower, with Dick’s funding, of course. He’d had more than enough from his parents and from trust funds that Bruce had set up in his name. 

As Terra was admiring the view excitedly – with Beast Boy admiring _her_ with light flushed cheeks – Dick looked over his still ever dirty friends. With a chuckle on his lips, he clapped his hands together to get their attention. 

“All right, everyone, I think we’re all desperately in need of baths,” said Dick, grinning at the group. “Let’s take care of that and then show Terra around the Tower, okay?” A growling stomach echoed through the room. Dick pursed his lips together to avoid smiling more. “And maybe something to eat as well.” 

A chorus of agreements came at this; thus, the team separated to go to their individual rooms. 

“Come with me, Terra, and I’ll show you where you can take a bath or whatever you want,” said Dick, motioning her to follow. The girl quickened her steps to keep up with him. He led her down a hallway on the main floor and showed her into the bathroom. “There should be enough stuff here for you. Fresh towels are on the shelf. And there’s some spare clothing there as well. You look to be around my size and I have some extras there that you’re welcome to use.” Dick pointed to said shelf. “Take your time,” he added with a smile. 

The girl smiled back at him and nodded. “Thank you,” she said. As he shut the door behind himself, he noticed her smile fading and her hair falling in front of her eye. 

Dick frowned as he stood outside the closed bathroom door, folding his arms and listening to the water turn on. After another moment, he began to walk away, slowly taking each step towards his room as his mind ran through the events that had just happened. His mind just wouldn’t rest until he figured out what that creature had been. It was obvious that it wasn’t a normal scorpion. What normal scorpion had _molten lava_ inside of it? 

Actually, what normal scorpion was the size of a _house?_  

But even beyond all that, Dick suspected that Terra had been the one to give them the anonymous tip. Female caller, drawing the scorpion into a trap, and perfect timing – there was no doubt in Dick’s mind that she was a possibility. Therefore, accepting that bit of information led Dick to his next question. What was her motive in bringing them out there? Had she wanted to show them her skills? From what Dick understood, the girl was homeless. Had she, perhaps, hoped that she could find a home with the Titans, yet couldn’t bring herself to outright ask them? 

Dick didn’t mind such assertiveness. He just wanted the truth. He preferred if people were direct with him, instead of sliding things under the radar. He didn’t want to condemn the girl, but he wasn’t going to let her think that she had easily wormed her way into the Titans. They weren’t born yesterday, after all. 

He would have to confront her, but he wasn’t sure when. He didn’t look forward to that conversation. But it had to be done. He had to get the truth. After that, he needed to figure out why the creature was rampaging. If she merely used the creature as a tool to gain the Titans’ trust, that was one thing. But there was something even more here and he wasn’t sure what it was. 

It wasn’t normal for a scorpion – of any size – to have lava inside. Therefore, it made this creature different than its usual nature. Thus, the question remained _why_ was it there? _Why_ did it suddenly show up? 

No matter how much he dwelled on it, Dick knew that he wasn’t going to find the answers right away. Maybe he could talk to Slade about it. The man would have some interesting insights about it, possibly. It couldn’t hurt to talk to him anyway. 

But it would have to wait at the moment. Dick had never felt grimier in his entire life and he was looking forward way too much for the hot shower that was calling his name. A few hallways later, Dick was at his door and entering inside. He was assaulted by the gentle mewling voice of Kuroi, the black furred kitten he had tried to smuggle into the haunt a week ago, but had failed to do so – Wintergreen was allergic. Luckily, there hadn’t been any conflicts with Silkie, Starfire’s mutant larva moth. But Dick still kept the kitten in his quarters, so he didn’t want to come home to find a missing Kuroi and a plump Silkie.

“Hey, little girl,” said Dick, kneeling down and stroking the kitten’s head. She purred loudly and mewled his welcome once more. Dick smiled. “Yeah, I know you’re glad to see me. But I gotta take a shower and I know how much you hate water.” 

The kitten seemed to give him a baleful look at that thought, causing Dick to chuckle and ruffle that head once before standing up. 

“Then, you best wait for me, unless you want a bath, too.” 

Kuroi flicked her tail at him and walked to his bed, leaping onto its covers and curling up there. Her bright blue eyes blinked once at him, as if she were saying that she was content to wait for him right there. Chuckling, Dick left the area of his room to enter his bathroom. He couldn’t wait to get the grime off his body. 

Once there, he gently removed the bandage that he had made for himself during the battle. Raven had stopped the bleeding, but the gash was still red with scar tissue. It could break easily, causing the wound to reopen and bleed once more. Thus, he was very careful not to aggravate it. 

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell his father about it. But he really didn’t want another scar on his body – especially one so visible. He was pretty sure that Slade would give him a shot of the serum – that same serum that healed his body quickly – but that did mean actually _telling_ Slade about it, which also meant that the man would get that worried, impassive look on his face. It was that look that said he was trying not to appear worried, but was failing at it – _badly_. 

Well, he’d decide later. In seconds, he had stripped away his Kevlar suit and mask, and had stepped into the shower. He vigorously worked on scrubbing the dust and grime from his skin – being gentle around the wound, of course. His light burn on his other arm stung slightly, but it wasn’t too annoying. The hot water felt delightful against his skin, warming his insides down to his very toes. Once he was done with soap and shampoo, he rested against the wall of the shower, simply enjoying the rain of warmth that flowed over his body. 

The long shower was thoroughly refreshing to Dick. When he was done, he grabbed his mask, but he left the suit in the hamper. He didn’t feel like putting on his suit again – not to mention, it needed to be cleaned. He had only one of this variety and he rather stick with it. The suit was quite similar to his original one, but this one had a flare of his father. The material was scaled at the chest area, while there was thin, black armor plating along the upper section of his arms, elbows, legs, and knees.

Just enough to remember that he wasn’t merely Robin any more, but Dick; that boy who had learned at the feet of a powerful master. Slade had been an excellent teacher – still was, in fact. The schedule that Dick had to follow was still in play and he enjoyed every moment he had with the man. Tomorrow, he was due for a long training session, but Dick had an idea to shake things up a bit. 

He doubted his father would love the idea, but with a few blinks of the eyes and Slade wouldn’t be able to say ‘no’, there was no doubt about that. Dick’s weapons of persuasion with the man was in the form of two crystal orbs surrounded by black eyelashes. Blink them a few times and the man couldn’t seem to say ‘no’. Who knew puppy eyes had a way with the man, hm? Although, it was far too dangerous to use such tactics against Slade often. They were to only be used rarely or else his father would catch on – and then, Dick would be in _real_ trouble. 

And that was to be avoided at all costs. 

Kuroi mewled for attention as Dick slipped into some black sweat pants and a green long sleeved shirt – to hide his wounds. He smiled at her, flopping onto the edge of his bed and letting her curl up in his lap. He stroked her fur for a few minutes, using a free hand to dry his hair with his towel. 

“Well, Kuro,” said Dick, stroking her head once. The kitten mewled at the sound of her nickname. “It’s time for me to go. So, you stay here and be a good little kitten, all right?” 

There was a gentle mewl, as if she were consenting to this request. 

With one final stroke of the fur, Dick let her off on his bed and stood up, tossing the wet towel onto a chair. The kitten jumped onto the floor, mewling at him. He restored the domino mask to cover his eyes. Normally, upon returning to the Tower, he would discard the use of his mask around his friends. They didn’t wear masks and neither did Dick any more. His friends had gotten used to it after a few weeks, although Dick still did get ribbed now and again about his eyes by Beast Boy – but that wasn’t so bad. 

But today, he would wear the mask. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Terra in a bad way, it was that he wasn’t exactly sure about her. She knew them all too well, right down to their names. It was the way she had been at the right place, at that exact time. Dick was sure that there wasn’t anything insidious about the girl. But still, Slade was very insistent about being careful when trusting others. In some ways, Slade was very similar to Bruce in protection measures. 

Not that Dick would ever tell Slade that… 

However, he was going to do something risky tomorrow. He knew it. Even though he knew there was something off about Terra, he was going to do it anyway. Slade probably would be furious about it, but this would be an act of trust. There was something about Terra that Dick felt he needed to unravel. If he showed her an act of trust, he had a feeling that she would loosen up with the group. 

For this afternoon, he would forgo wearing a standard suit. Wearing civilian clothes in the Tower would be all right around Terra. He just wouldn’t show his eyes; thus, his identity. Tomorrow, however, would be different. 

Anyway, he wasn’t possessive of his identity any more. When he’d been Robin, Dick had remained hidden behind the mask. He had hidden his true self beneath an article of clothing. He’d been afraid to be himself. But now, there was no need to hide behind a mask. 

That much Slade had brought out in him and that much he liked. He wasn’t afraid any more. He liked being himself and not that boy or hero whom he pretended to be. He was just Dick and that was best. 

Sometimes, he forgot that it had been about eight months ago since his life had been put onto the path that would change everything he ever knew. About eight months ago, Slade had taken Dick from the Tower with the intent to make him his apprentice – the apprentice to Deathstroke, a man who was an assassin, a mercenary, a criminal. Who would’ve thought that just a few months later, Dick would become the man’s son instead and that Slade would go into retirement. 

With each passing day, those times where he had felt the instability were merely becoming an old dream. As each day moved on, it was almost impossible to remember a time without Slade in his life and being his father. For Dick, it was the most amazing thing ever. 

And he embraced every minute of it. 

As Dick walked to his door to leave, he stopped; remembering something. He turned back around and walked back to his bed; grabbing his cell phone from beneath his pillow. He better tell his father that he really shouldn’t go home tonight. He needed to be at the Tower with the new addition around. Not to mention… 

He wanted to hear the man’s voice. 

With one touch of the button, he started the call to Slade; placing the cell phone to his ear as he waited. A few moments later, the phone clicked. 

“Hey, Dad,” said Dick with a smile. There was a light chuckle. 

“Hello, Dick. So, how did it go? What was the trouble?” 

Dick sighed, plopping down onto the edge of his bed. Kuroi mewled once, batting her paw at one of his socked feet. He wiggled it for her. 

“A bit more intense than I’d have thought it would be. A giant scorpion was rampaging in the canyon—can you believe it? It was _huge!_ I mean, this thing was the size of a _house!_ We got a little beat up, but nothing too bad. Nothing we can’t handle.” 

“Are you all right?” 

Dick could hear the worry in the man’s voice, making him smile lightly. “Yeah, I’m fine, Dad. There’s no need to worry.” 

There was a snort. 

“You’re the Boy Wonder.” 

Dick’s smile grew even more, hearing the message in between the lines. 

“You’re such a worrywart, Dad.” 

“You say that _now_ when there’s a nice, _safe_ distance between us.” 

“Hehe!” 

“Imp.” There was a pause. “So, are you coming home now?” 

Dick faltered. “Uh…” 

“You said you would.” 

“Right… Something’s come up, though. We met someone during our fight and she needed a home. I was hoping I could stay here tonight. Well, it _is_ my time to stay at the Tower – Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, you know.” 

There was a light pause. 

“When I walked into the kitchen after you left, something wet dropped onto my shoulder.” Dick cringed. “I have to admit, it was pretty gross.” 

“I’ll definitely clean—” 

“You wouldn’t happen to be trying to escape from cleaning your mess, now would you?” asked Slade, his voice drawling heavily. 

“No, sir,” answered Dick instantly. There was a pause and Dick could imagine the man raising an eyebrow at him and smirking his trademark smile inside his mind. “Well… just a bit, sir.” 

“I’m truly loving how you’re saying ‘sir’ right now.” 

Dick chuckled nervously. 

“Tomorrow? Can I finish cleaning the kitchen tomorrow?” 

Dick waited, feeling even more nervous. He twisted his feet together, Kuroi pouncing on them as he did so. He could feel her undeveloped claws digging into the cloth of his socks. She gnawed on them for a moment. He bent over and scooped her up with his free hand, causing her to mewl in protest at being taken away from her entertainment. 

Finally, there was a long sigh. 

“Don’t bother. Will already cleaned the kitchen hours ago. Said something about going insane if he didn’t.” 

“What?! So fast? But _how?_ ” 

“He’s not a teenager.” 

Dick let out a giggle, smiling as he absentmindedly stroked the kitten’s fur as she played in his lap. 

“Isn’t that the truth? He’s not exactly a mischievous youngster.” 

“I’ll let him know you said that.” 

Dick laughed and flopped back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Kuroi crawled out of his lap and settled herself onto his chest, purring softly. He stroked her fur gently as he turned his head to the side. He listened to the light breathing on the other side of the phone. It was so faint, he could barely hear it, but it was enough to know Slade was there. 

“So, you’re not coming home tonight?” asked Slade finally, after a few quiet moments. 

“Hmmm…” Dick rolled onto his stomach, the kitten mewling in protest that _yet_ _again_ her entertainment had moved. Dick’s legs dangled off the bed as he kicked them lightly. The kitten finally decided that she would perch herself on top of his back; digging her short claws in warningly, as if telling him not to move again. “I really should stay around here tonight. With this new girl here, I don’t really want to leave the Titans alone.” 

“Are you worried about this girl?” 

Dick’s legs lifted into the air as he pushed his chest up a little; folding one his arms beneath himself to lean on. Those little claws dug a little more into his shirt. 

“Not really. It’s just, she’s an unknown element, you know. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, okay?” 

“Tomorrow, hm? What’s tomorrow?” 

“You’ll see,” said Dick, his voice lifting into a sing song tone. His legs swung once more. There was a gentle chuckle on the other end of the phone. 

“Up to mischief, imp?” 

“Always.” 

There was an amused snort. 

“Very well, you may stay. You’ll be due for some extra chores to make up for it, understood? Do the dishes there even if it’s not your turn. Eat a good dinner; not that pizza crap the lot of you always get. And get to bed early, too. You need your sleep.” 

Dick giggled at how mothering Slade was being, but he didn’t say anything. The man would certainly not like hearing _that_. But he didn’t mind it. It was nice to hear someone concerned about him; nice to hear someone concerned about the little things – _ever so nice_. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Bye, bye, Dad. Thanks for letting me stay.” 

“Mm, see you tomorrow, son.” 

Dick smiled as he listened to the phone disconnect. He placed the phone onto the bed in front of him; folding his arms beneath his chin as he looked at it. 

It’d been so long since he had a moment like this. To some, such a moment would seem trivial, but to Dick, it was something of value. Just being able to talk to Slade, talk to his father, on a phone like this was amazing. After so many years without a parent in his life, Dick was enjoying the little moments like this. He still felt somewhat clingy at times – yes, he admitted it, but it was okay – and he was glad that he could turn to the man whenever he needed to do so, even when a distance parted them. 

He was very lucky indeed. 

Dick rolled over, causing the poor kitten to be dislodged from her perch once again. She jumped onto his shoulder and sat there, staring at him with baleful eyes. Dick chuckled and placed a hand onto her head. 

“Sorry, girl. Now I really gotta go. The others are probably done by now. I better be there for them, okay?” 

There was mewl in response. Dick giggled and picked the kitten up from his shoulder. He sat up, his legs dangling off the edge of the bed. He stroked her fur once more before standing up and placing her onto the bed. 

“I’ll see you later tonight, Kuroi.” 

Before the kitten could protest this, Dick slipped out of his room; his door sliding shut automatically. He walked down the hallway, making his way to the main room. He stepped inside as the automatic doors slid open upon his arrival. There was only one person in the main room at that moment. Raven was sitting on the couch, her wet hair dangling beside her face. Dick smiled and took the opportunity to sit next to her. At the sight of her darkened expression, he put his arm around her and drew the girl into a gentle half hug. 

“What’s up, Raven? You look like there’s something wrong,” said Dick. The girl had startled slightly by his gentle affection, her body stiffening from his touch. But slowly, she began to loosen up, her body sagging somewhat in his hold. He knew Raven wasn’t used to people touching her kindly like this and ever since he had come back to the Tower, he had made an effort in drawing his team members in with simple affection. 

It had been something he had craved for so many years. Now he wondered if it was the same for the others, though they never spoke of such things. 

“Nothing is wrong,” said Raven, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. “Everything’s fine.” 

Dick shook his head sadly, tugging against the girl and whispering into her hair near her ear, “You’re a pretty bad liar, Rae. What’s up?” 

He pulled back as Raven let out a sigh, before she turned her head towards him. There was an intense amount of emotion in her eyes, the like Dick had never seen before. He hadn’t ever seen his friend like this before. The worry only rose up inside his chest more. Something was definitely wrong if Raven had so much bottled up inside her chest. 

“Robin—” 

“Dick.” 

Raven blinked, the emotion temporarily breaking in her eyes. 

“What?” 

“Robin isn’t the room. But Dick is and he’s a good listener.” 

It was so light; it was so gentle – there was a tug at Raven’s lips, her mouth threatening her impassive face with smile. She gained control over it in a minute, but it had been there and Dick was happy to know that his words had some effect on his friend. Raven turned her head away, letting out another long sigh. Dick had been sure that she would’ve pulled away from him, but she continued to stay in his hug. 

In fact… 

Dick was starting to feel the beginnings of Raven finally accepting his kindness, her body slowly continuing to relax and lean against his own. Raven let out yet another sigh, before her monotone voice wavered slightly as she spoke. 

“I’ll be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything _has_ to be fine.” 

Dick noticed a shiver went through the girl. He tugged her against his side a little more, hoping to offer whatever comfort he could to the girl he considered a sister. Even though she was older than him by a nine months or so, he actually considered her to be a younger sister. She was wiser than him on many occasion, but his feelings were protective. 

Raven held a lot secrets, just like Dick had before. He hoped that someday he could lower the barriers that his friends held. As each barrier was lowered, the closer they would become. The closer that they became, the more they passed from being just a team of heroes or a group of friends. 

They would become a family.

Raven didn’t look back at him, but she stayed nestled against his side. Dick remained quiet as well. It was better not to push her. Out of all them, she was the least tolerant in being pushed and he rather be comforting right now than annoying. Thus, he just looked outside, enjoying the quiet and the view of the city. They sat there, side by side, for a few minutes. Raven never shrugged off his arm, Dick noticed and for that, he was thankful. 

Then, the door to the main room slid opened. Raven immediately stood up, removing herself from Dick’s side. He watched as she stepped closer to the window. He noticed, before her cape hid most of her body from view, that her arms curled around her chest slightly as if she were trying to find some kind of comfort. 

Dick sighed, wishing that he could’ve done more for her, but when she pushed others away, it was difficult. He would have to keep trying. He turned around to see Starfire entering the room. She smiled as she caught sight of him, lifting into the air and flying over the couch to sit near him. 

“Hey, Star,” said Dick, smiling at her and trying to ignore the butterflies that started acting up inside his stomach. “How’s your leg?” 

“Much better, thank you,” said Starfire with a glowing smile. 

A moment later, Beast Boy entered the main room; talking animatedly to their newest friend. Cyborg was right behind them, a heavy amused expression across his face. Without either of the smaller teens realizing it, he pointed down at Beast Boy’s head and mouthed, _‘He’s got it bad.’_ to Dick, causing a light chuckle. 

Wasn’t that the truth? Beast Boy was following the girl like a smitten puppy. Dick had never seen his young friend crush so hard before. 

 _Ah, to be thirteen again…_  

Even though that was exceptionally ironic, since his stomach was still currently not listening to him. Those butterflies were _still_ fluttering up a storm down there. Starfire’s smile truly did wonders over him. 

“Is everyone hungry?” asked Dick, standing up from his seat on the couch. He walked over to the kitchen area of the main room. “How about some dinner?” He stopped briefly, an amused expression flooding through his features. “I can cook anything, but just don’t ask me to bake anything. That’s how I killed the kitchen back home today.” 

Terra looked back at him, surprise entering her face. 

“Home? Isn’t this your home?” 

Dick chuckled. 

“It is, but I also have… family here in the city. The Tower is now a home away from home, you could say.” 

Dick’s eyes had glanced between his friends as he said family. Cyborg didn’t say anything on the matter, but he did look away, an uncomfortable expression dragging his face. Beast Boy’s eyes flittered between Dick and Cyborg, appearing torn again. Raven continued to look her usual impassive self, while Starfire merely smiled at this. Terra seemed to notice the tension that lifted into the air at this statement, her head turning as she glanced around the room. 

“What?” 

“It’s nothing, Terra,” said Raven, turning her head away back towards the view of the city. 

Dick wanted to sigh. As much as his friends had accepted the fact that Slade was his father and family now, they still didn’t exactly like it. Cyborg always pursed his lips whenever Dick mentioned the man. Beast Boy always looked torn between pleasing the teen of his childhood hero and the teen he viewed as an older brother. Raven never fully said her opinion, but she, too, sometimes looked disconcerted. However, she seemed to tolerate the man. Starfire was the only one that had fully accepted and welcomed Slade with open arms. 

But that was just the kind of girl she was. 

It was amazing how much Starfire had changed, yet hadn’t changed. In the seven months that Dick had been absent from her life, he could notice the strength she had developed during that time. Her growth was the most noticeable out of the four teens that had been left behind. He was proud of his team and of how they handled such a difficult time. But now that everything was back to normal, some of them were forgetting the past and just how everything turned out was truly a gift. 

It could’ve turned out much worse, after all. 

How would’ve everything played out if Slade hadn’t changed? What if Slade had refused Wintergreen’s advice or what if the old man just didn’t bother to intervene? What if Slade had continued to be the man he had once been? 

In a way, Dick could only think in a poetic sense. What would’ve happened to Dick’s ‘story’ if he had truly become Deathstroke’s apprentice? How many lives would’ve he taken on a contract? How many paths would’ve changed if this had happened? 

Such questions only brought one answer. 

If any of those had occurred along the timeline, then Dick would not have been truly happy. 

Somehow, destiny had given the path that gave him true happiness. He wasn’t sure how that could’ve happened, past what his mother had told him, or why. Even after all the hardship and fear that had gripped his heart, he knew he was happy now. There was no reason he shouldn’t be. He was content, happy with everything at that very moment. There was no reason to be sad – there was only hope. 

Now, if he only could convince his friends that everything was all right, then life would be just perfect, now wouldn’t it? 

Terra was still frowning at the odd behavior between the teens. It was obvious she could tell something was up, but it also really wasn’t her concern. Nor did the teens feel obligated to fill her on in the details. After all, Dick wasn’t fully sure about the girl. But when tomorrow came, he wouldn’t hold back. He had been thinking about this new training session for a week now – of course, he was only going to spring it on Slade at the last minute. 

That way his father didn’t have the chance to chicken out in the end. 

Dick shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “All right, who’s up for some Mexican food?” 

A good forty-five minutes later and a one decently messy kitchen – nothing like the one Dick had left home, of course – and the Titans were gathered around the countertop with piled plates of homemade Mexican food. Beast Boy’s, of course, was without meat. Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and Starfire’s select choice of mustard were the toppings available. The murmur of voices flooded over the kitchen, some excitable, some heated, but all generally good natured and happy. 

There were no leftovers by the end of the meal – Cyborg and Terra being the ones who ate their weight in food, at least; in Terra’s case, she ate in _Cyborg’s_ weight. 

A lull came over the group and they all moved to the couch to be more comfortable. It was certainly apparent that the fight had taken a lot out of them. They just weren’t used to such an intense fight like that. The criminals they normally went after were easy – _actually, pretty pathetic_. This wasn’t Gotham City, after all. Sometimes the H.I.V.E Academy caused some trouble, but nothing they couldn’t handle. The fight today only reminded Dick of how much they still needed to grow in their strength individually and as a team. 

His plans for tomorrow would definitely help with that. 

“That meal was awesome,” said Terra, stretching out her legs and arms elaborately. “I haven’t had a good meal like that in a long time.” 

“Yeah, Robin cooks pretty good sometimes,” said Beast Boy, smiling happily at her. Terra giggled once. “So, uhm… Terra, how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

There was a light blush entering his cheeks again. 

“Oh, well, uh, I’m just turned sixteen awhile back,” said Terra, glancing away, her long blonde hair sliding into her face. She curled a hand to her ear, tucking the wayward strands out of her face. Dick got the distinct impression that she didn’t want to talk about it. Then, she turned to the couch and tested the cushions for softness. When she seemed satisfied, she gave out a long yawn. “I think I’ll just crash on the sofa, if that’s all right with you guys. I’m really bushed.” She flopped down onto the couch. “You guys are awesome for letting me stay the night. Thanks for lending me some of your clothes, too, Robin.” 

“It’s not a problem,” said Dick with a smile. The rest of the group sat on the other end of the couch. They remained soft as they chattered between each other. Minutes passed, until Dick noticed that Terra had fallen into a deep sleep; her mouth hanging open as a gentle snoring trembled her throat. 

“She’s lying about her age,” whispered Raven finally, after waiting a few more minutes and making sure Terra was asleep. The group was huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. “I can tell. She’s younger than sixteen. Personally, I’d say more like fourteen. Maybe even thirteen.” 

“What?” started Beast Boy, his long ears lifting upward in shock. “But why would she lie about something like that?”

“The older you are, the less likely you’ll be picked up by a social worker. Not that she really has the height and body build for a sixteen year old, though.” said Dick, shaking his head once. “Do you think she ran away from home?” 

“It’s highly probable,” said Cyborg with a nod, folding his arms and glancing over at the sleeping Terra. After a moment, he looked back at Dick. “What do you think we should do? Should we take her to a social worker or the police to see if her family is looking for her?” 

“What!?” cried Beast Boy, bolting to his feet. Starfire placed a hand onto his shoulder and put her other hand to her mouth. 

“Shh, you will wake her,” whispered Starfire. Terra turned onto her side in her sleep, her snoring snorting once. The group held their breath briefly, before Beast Boy continued in a heated whisper. 

“But they’re planning on—” 

“Beast Boy,” started Dick, firmly overriding the younger boy as he looked up at him. “We haven’t made a decision yet. We are only _discussing_ the possibilities. I, as the leader of this team by your unanimous vote, haven’t made the final decision just yet. If you’re unhappy with a possibility, then please calmly say so without getting angry.” 

Beast Boy’s ears drooped. After a moment, he nodded finally; sitting back down onto the couch. Dick gave him a soft smile. 

“I don’t like the idea of taking her to a social worker either, so you don’t have to worry, BB. We’re not gonna do that. She would probably run away again anyway and I don’t think that’s good for her. Plus, she’s got powers and that makes things more difficult for her to blend in with civilians.” 

“So, what are you thinking?” asked Raven. 

Dick sighed lightly, looking over at Terra. She was curled up on the couch, her side lifting as she slept deeply. He had already decided to let her stay. He thought it would be good for her. Where else could she go? And it wasn’t like there was want for room in the Tower. With her powers, she could be targeted by enemies who wished to use them. He could tell from the fight that she wasn’t trained in using them. 

A powerful enemy could force her submission. She was young enough to be swayed, probably – if Raven was right about her true age. If she stayed with them, then they would have time to help her and maybe in the end, she would open up to them about her family situation. 

“I think we should give her a home for as long as she needs,” answered Dick in a low voice. 

“We can’t just trust her,” said Raven, her normally impassive expression twitching with rising irritation. “She’s lied once. She could lie about anything.” 

“Hey!” protested Beast Boy. “We should let her stay! There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s nice!” 

Raven’s eyebrow twitched, the irritation ever prevalent in her expression now. Dick glanced between her and Beast Boy, noticing the growing tension in the air between them. 

“Just because you’re infatuated with her, doesn’t automatically make her trustworthy!” snapped Raven, her chest heaving once. 

Dick’s eyebrows bolted up into his bangs just as Starfire gently shushed Raven. Terra turned in her sleep, scratching her belly once before beginning to snore again. A quiet hung over the group from Raven’s pronouncement. Dick was shocked to see the subtle emotion that was pouring off Raven. The others weren’t noticing it, however. Dick couldn’t help but wonder… Was Raven jealous of that fact – that Beast Boy was crushing on Terra? 

His eyes glanced between the two of them, taking in every detail of their body languages. 

Raven was a subtle person. She was like Slade in that she did her very best to avoid outward appearance of emotions. But just as Slade, she wasn’t perfect at it. There was emotion inside of her; therefore, when her control failed her – as it had now – then, it was more than apparent of what her feelings were to an observer who was proficient at noticing the unnoticeable. 

And Dick was just that person. 

It was becoming clear to him that Raven just might have _some_ feelings for the adorable, yet obnoxious green team member. He wasn’t sure when that had happened, but then again he’d been gone for seven months. During his absence, anything could’ve changed their hearts. It would seem as if everyone had some kind of crush going on. Cyborg seemed to be the only sane one around here. Dick was struggling with his own crush. Last thing he needed was further discord between Beast Boy and Raven. Those two could fight like cats and dogs if you gave them time to ramp up. 

Beast Boy flushed deeply, his cheeks confirming Raven’s accusation all too well. His chest puffed out and his mouth opened to protest some more, when Starfire’s gentle and kind voice rose above the contention; drawing the attention to herself as her peacemaking skills came into play. 

“It has been a long day,” said Starfire, her voice soft, yet powerful. “Why do we not all go to bed early tonight?” 

“That’s a good idea, Star,” nodded Dick, giving Beast Boy no time to interject again. “For now, Terra stays. We’ll take this one day at a time, all right, guys?” 

ooOOOOOoo


	4. Supported in the Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frightening Imagery in effect in this chapter.
> 
> Also, in this story, while the Teen Titans have larger roles than in Forgotten Bonds, the story is still centered around the relationship that was developed there between Dick and Slade. :)

**Chapter Four**

**Supported in the Darkness**

**April 27th, 2009. Monday, 8:01 pm.**  

As Dick entered his room for the night, he turned to the keypad next to his door as it slid closed. He quickly entered the code to lockdown his room, so no one could enter. He knew he really shouldn’t be locking his door, in case someone needed him, but he wanted a moment of peace and safety inside his room. He listened as the door clicked, signifying that it was locked down. 

He didn’t move from standing by the door. His hands trembled at his sides. He closed his eyes briefly, swallowing once. 

He had said that he would stay the night here. He did make it sound like he didn’t want to go home. But it wasn’t really the case. At that moment, he was trying to ignore the fact that he was at the Tower tonight, but it wasn’t really working. He wished he could’ve taken time to do the dishes, as Slade had told him to, but the noise would’ve woken Terra; thus, it had to be left until morning. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t like sleeping here, it just didn’t feel the same as his room back at the haunt. 

Dick turned slowly. He glanced around the room for a moment, taking in the décor that hadn’t been altered whatsoever. The Titans hadn’t touched anything in his long absence and Dick himself hadn’t done anything to change it. 

There were still numerous newspaper clippings on the walls of his room in the first section that was walled off from the second section that held his bed. He tore his gaze away from the clippings, swearing to himself what had to be the hundredth time this month that he’d take down those creepy clippings once and for all. He walked to his bed and felt the relief of the clean walls within the second area of his room. 

Kuroi was perched on his pillow on the bed, curled up and asleep. He could hear her gentle purring as she slept. He smiled softly, placing a hand on top of the kitten’s head and stroking her black fur. She cracked open an eye and mewled sleepily, still ever purring softly. 

After a moment, Dick withdrew so he could get dressed for the night. He tugged off his clothes, laying it aside in a chair; quickly dressing into a set of pajamas. He sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the clock that said the time in bright red colors. They looked so innocent, yet it reminded Dick of the color of blood. He swallowed once, turning his head away. 

He was afraid to sleep. He didn’t want to go to sleep and see that same color in his dreams. Every night, he was having a difficult time sleeping because of the nightmares. Being at the Tower, though, made it seem just a little worse. He felt so alone here in his solitary bedroom. He was truly thankful for the kitten’s presence or else Dick would’ve made excuses every night of why he had to be back home. However, while he found a sense of peace in his other room, he didn’t like the fact that Slade could hear him if he screamed in his sleep. 

The one good thing about his room at the Tower was the fact that it was soundproof. 

Despite being able to be heard, being nearer to Slade brought a sense of comfort to his soul. He was too far away at the moment in case he needed the man – even though he’d been avoiding talking about this nightmare with Slade. He just _couldn’t_. This wasn’t the same as his old nightmares about his parents dying or being tortured by the Joker. Those nightmares didn’t seem like _nightmares_ any more. Dick almost wished for a revisiting dream from them. Anything would be better than what he was being plagued with every night. 

Would he have the same nightmare again? Would he have to experience those horrible images yet again? Would he have to endure that voice again? Was there no peace for him in the night? It just didn’t seem fair at all. There was nothing wrong with him. He wasn’t experiencing any trauma or drama in his life – at least nothing bigger than crushing on a girl. Shouldn’t he be having dreams about embarrassing himself in front of Starfire to the point where she wouldn’t talk to him any more and even moved to another planet to marry some handsome alien prince, _just_ to get away from him? 

Wouldn’t that be a whopper of a dream? 

Dick sighed. He pulled his feet up from the floor, slipping them underneath the covers. He slowly curled beneath his blankets, laying his head down next to the purring kitten. Her small body filled his view completely. 

If he were completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that he wasn’t just afraid of going to sleep, he was _terrified_ to go to sleep. The nightmare brought out everything that truly frightened him to his core. It never changed. It was always the same – _always, always, always the same_. It was like his mind played the same movie over and over again. 

However, there was one section of the dream where it truly felt _alive_. 

It was that section of the dream that terrified Dick – terrified him to the very center of his soul with an unrelenting fear that gripped his heart with a deadly hand. In that part of the dream, he was faced with a variable that lived and breathed on its own; changing fluidly every time as if it had been waiting for him every night. 

It varied. It spoke. It mocked. It laughed. It threatened. 

He refused to give it a gender, even though it did have one. Giving it a gender meant that it was truly alive, that it truly had some place within his soul. He didn’t want to claim it. He didn’t want it connected with himself. 

But every time he looked inside its face, he knew he was just fooling himself. 

In some ways, at that very moment, he wished he were back home with Slade. The first time he had the nightmare, Slade had been there for him. Sure, it’d been a bit childish; but after seeing such a horrific dream, nothing had been better than being curled against his father’s side, feeling the man’s protecting strong arm around him as if telling him without words that everything was all right and that he was safe. 

Just knowing that he could do that was a comfort for Dick, even though he hadn’t sought out the man the past week in the night. He was trying to endure it. But his endurance was waning. He almost felt like a little child, frightened by the monsters under the bed. Except this time, it wasn’t imaginary monsters lurking in the night, but true horrors and monstrosities that lived inside his very mind. 

He didn’t even have his old lamb here in Titans Tower. Sometimes having that dear lamb made things a little better, a special remnant from his mother. 

Dick’s lips trembled as he squeezed his eyes shut. His father had told him to go to bed early. Well, he was in bed, but he couldn’t sleep. It would be a few hours before he’d fall asleep. His mind was too much on edge. He couldn’t relax, not when he knew what would happen next. He tried to be strong. He knew it was just a dream. But sometimes hearing the same lie over and over again made it seem like truth. 

But truth was truth. It never wavered; it never changed; it gave the same answer every time – the only key was, it needed to be found. 

So, what was the truth? Dick wasn’t even sure any more. One week was more than enough for him to question what was real and what wasn’t. He was questioning his sanity; he was questioning his strength; he was questioning his heart. 

So, why did he still refuse to go to Slade about this? He wasn’t fully sure. The man always reassured him that Dick could seek him whenever he needed to; that he would never push Dick away. Maybe the dream frightened Dick so much he wasn’t sure what to do any more. Whatever the reason, because of his choice, he was facing his trial alone. 

Maybe he was making the wrong choice… Had he truly learned anything from his time away from the Titans? Wasn’t he _supposed_ to rely on others during hard times like this? Why did he always insist on trying to bear things alone? What use was a father that he didn’t turn to? Slade wasn’t there simply to provide things for him or just to feed him – Dick could do that on his own. Slade was there to be his confidante, to be his listener, to be his unique friend, to be his mentor, to be his teacher, to be his disciplinarian, to be his comforter, to be his protector – to be his _family_ , to be his _loved one_. 

Dick had signed those papers wanting all that. He wasn’t supposed to forget those feelings. He had wanted that so much. He had missed having that after _so many years_. It was foolish to try to endure this on his own and yet he was doing it anyway. If he wanted to grow up and move past his mistakes, then he had to stop acting like he had a year ago. A year ago, he had tried to do things himself; thus, creating Red X. In the end, his choice had gotten him kidnapped and only by the course of something truly amazing had made that choice into a magnificent blessing. 

Dick didn’t want to be reminded of the lesson a second time, though. 

 _Tomorrow_.

Tomorrow, he would talk to Slade about the dream. Tomorrow, he would unload all those horrible feelings that he was keeping locked inside of himself. 

_Maybe…_

_Probably…_

_Mmhmm…_  

Hopefully, he didn’t chicken out. 

 _Well_ , not ‘chicken out’ per se, more like… not say anything. 

He was doing it again, wasn’t he? 

He probably wouldn’t tell Slade, if he were honest with himself. He just couldn’t tell the man. It was too horrible. 

But just thinking about letting himself go to his father for comfort was bringing a small peace to his heart. Almost as if she could feel his distress, Dick felt Kuroi move from her spot on the pillow and curl herself at the crook of his neck, purring deeply; the sounds of her purring reverberating against his throat. With that gentleness and softness comforting him, Dick found himself falling asleep soon after eleven o’clock. 

Unfortunately, history repeated itself. 

ooOOOOOoo 

_The air was suffocating._

_The air crackled with raging flames._

_The air smelt of burning flesh._  

Dick gasped, clasping his hand over his mouth. His throat burned from the horrific smells that oppressed the atmosphere. The toxic air stung his eyes, causing tears to appear there. Fear pumped through his entire body, freezing his movements completely. Only his eyes took his surroundings. No matter how much he wanted to close them, they would not allow him to do so. It was as if there were an unknown power, forcing him to view the horrific images. 

The earth was ravaged. 

Buildings were crumpled to the ground. Flames licked the terrain, never dying as they continued to burn and raze. Molten lava melted the very earth, the liquid flames pouring over the sea; turning the scarlet water into further melting lava. In the distance, bodies were strewn across the landscape. The earth was covered with them. Some held grotesque positions. Some were burnt beyond recognition. Dick did all he could to avoid from focusing on those images. He knew what they held was horrific. 

The sky above burned with crimson blood. There was no sunlight, nor moonlight, but an infinitely red sky that promised no light. Clouds tainted by the crimson color were filled with no water, but liquid life force that filled the veins of living creatures. 

Black crows with piercing red eyes were the only living creatures that were across the face of the land. Dick wanted nothing more than to throw up as he heard the brawling calls over the available flesh. 

There was so much destruction. There wasn’t a single living creature beyond those demonic crows. Somehow Dick knew, he just _knew_ that the entire earth looked like this – that the entire planet had been burned with a vengeance. He knew he was the last one left. He was all alone to witness the complete annihilation of his planet. In his mind, he knew this was a dream, he knew what he was seeing couldn’t be real. He had just gone to sleep, hadn’t he? Kuroi was probably still asleep, curled up at his neck and purring happily in her sleep. If he strained himself, could he hear her gentleness? 

This couldn’t be real. 

 _This can’t be real!_  

But no matter how much Dick’s mind tried to see through the logic, his eyes could only witness the reality around him. The world was dead. Everyone was dead. No living thing could exist upon a burning world. The buildings, the monuments, the homes, the businesses – everything that had been touched by human life had been destroyed. The human corpses would one day be gone, gorged upon by those dark crows. Thus, only a distant remnant remained, barely signifying that humans had once existed on the planet. 

However, there was one thing that eliminated any doubts that humans had once lived there – for Dick in the least. 

His breathing escalated. His mind knew what was going to come next. He could remember everything. The dream unfolded exactly the same every time. And every time, Dick dreaded this moment. No matter how much he knew he was dreaming, that he was asleep, that this _wasn’t—couldn’t_ be real, somehow his eyes viewed everything as if it were _very, very real_. Tears were already forming at his eyes, but they did nothing to blur the imagery. He gasped for breath, the sobs beginning to break forth. 

No matter how he tried to fight against the unknown force, he couldn’t stop his body from turning around. 

_NO!_

_I don’t want to see it!_

_I don’t want to see them!_

_No, no, no, no, no, wake up, wake up, someone wake me up!_

_Please…_  

But it was no use. He was powerless in the dream. He was powerless in this world. As he turned, another great sob broke through his lips. He couldn’t shut his eyes. He couldn’t stop from seeing _them_. 

It was the most horrific part of the dream. This was the moment he broke down. He couldn’t bear it. But the dream forced him – forced him to face his greatest fear. 

 _Everyone he had ever loved…_  

Lay mangled on the burning earth. 

Dick screamed. 

He dropped to his knees, covering his ears and shaking his head wildly. His sobs tore through the air, seeming to echo across the deadened world. Nothing could protect him. The flames flickered all around him, illuminating the horror that laid before him.

_Mama._

_Papa._

_Bruce._

_Alfred._

_Starfire…_

_Cyborg._

_Beast Boy._

_Raven._

_Wintergreen._

_Slade…_  

Blood seeped into the ground, the metallic, organic smell of the liquid of life wafting into the air. His knees became soaked in the blood of those he loved. Dick sobbed harder, trying to ignore it all – but it was as if the dream denied him such. He wasn’t in control; the dream fully controlled him. Each one burned their image inside his mind. He saw every detail, every lifeless eye that would no longer wake. He couldn’t escape. He prayed to awaken – _anything_ to stop the horror. Why couldn’t he wake up? It was a dream, it wasn’t true, _this wasn’t happening!_  

One would think this was the worst part of the dream. The first time Dick had dreamed this nightmare, that was what he had thought. This was his breaking point, after all. But at that moment, he knew the worst was about to come. Indeed, what was about to happen was far worse than seeing his loved ones dead and bleeding on the ground, his skin soaked in their old life. 

No, facing _him_ was a thousand times worse because of what he represented. 

“Yo, little Dickie,” drawled the familiar voice. It made Dick sick to hear _that_ voice, one that didn’t belong to this creature of darkness. “Long time no see. When was it since we saw each other? Oh, yeah. _Last night_.” 

Dick shivered, wrapping his arms around his chest; the tears still flowing down his cheeks. There was a dark chuckle. Then, a grey arm slipped around Dick’s neck as someone leaned against his back. A soft voice whispered his ear, the stroke of his breath cruelly teasing his skin. 

“ _Did you miss me?_ ” 

“Never.” 

“Aww, you _wound_ me.” 

“Get away from me.” 

That dark chuckle rose higher. The arm withdrew, tracing along the back of Dick’s neck to slide along his cheek, until the enemy came to crouch in front of him. Dick forced to look into his _own_ _reflection_ ; the skin, even down to his clothes, burned with a dark grey and those normally brilliant blue eyes were tainted by the color of blood. The reflection version of himself had his hair spiked back, unlike Dick’s current hairstyle which hung around his ears. There was a sly smirk that slid up the doppelganger’s face as he clasped Dick’s cheek with an icy hand. 

“Such a pretty face, yet so tainted with your pathetic innocence.” 

Dick squeezed his eyes shut, tears seeping out of the crevices. 

It was the same every time. He had learned far too quickly that this horrible creature in front of him was himself. This double was every evil thought, every cruel act, every horrible feeling that Dick had ever been capable of and would ever be capable of – this much had been ground into his head every time the dream came to its close. This creature made sure of it. 

“But I’m so much better than you,” whispered his voice. Dick hated it hearing his own voice out of this evil incarnation. It was slightly deeper, slightly more feral and animalistic; as if it delighted in all that it was. “You know that by now, don’t you, Dick?” 

That icy hand began to stroke his cheek with a tenderness that mocked mothers around the world. The action pretended to contain kindness and gentleness, but it held nothing but an icy, cruel touch. 

“Tell me why I’m so much better than you.” 

“Stop touching me.” 

“Aw, you’re no fun. _Tell me, Dickie_. Why am I better than you?” 

Dick shook his head, refusing to answer. The soft, icy hand that was stroking his cheek suddenly whipped back and cracked across face; knocking his gaze to the side in a violent action. Pain burst through Dick’s senses, attesting to the fact that this was no ordinary dream. His cheek stung as that hand caressed the spot it had abused. 

“You’re such a naughty little boy, aren’t you?” purred the doppelganger. “This would go faster if you just admitted your failings.” 

Dick flicked the hand away in anger, only to be grabbed by the wrist in an all powerful grip. He was pulled closer to the creature in front of him – whom he _swore_ couldn’t be human, couldn’t be _his_ opposite – as those red crimson eyes gleamed sadistically at him. 

“Every time you come here, you scream,” said the dark boy, soft shadows flowing from his tone. “And every time, I relish in your screams.” 

“This isn’t real,” murmured Dick. “This is just a nightmare.” 

His doppelganger gave out a low whistle. 

“Some nightmare… End of the world… Talking to yourself. Oh, yes, you’re going _insane_ , losing every shred of your sanity to a night terror.” 

Dick gave out an angry cry, shoving the other boy in the chest and causing him to fall backwards. He hated this creature before him. He couldn’t stand it any more. He would listen to this horrific creature no more! A second later, Dick had straddled him and landed a punch to the face. His next punch was caught in the boy’s powerful hand. Those dark, blood eyes gleamed again as a smirk lifted his stained lips, a trail of blood slipping down the edge there. 

“Accept it, Robin,” purred the dark boy. “You’re _weak_. Oh, wait… No, you gave up that part of yourself, didn’t you? You’re not _Robin_ any more. Just plain little Dick, a stupid, circus gypsy brat without any parents.” 

“ _Shut up!_ ” screamed Dick, smashing his free fist into the mocking face below him. There was another dark chuckle as crimson continued to paint those grey lips. A grey tongue slipped out and licked the blood there, smearing it. 

“You can’t win against me, Dickie,” whispered the dark boy, his dark smile arrogant. “I am the strength you gave up. You left it behind for something foolish. Now, you’re just a little crybaby that runs to _Daddy_.” 

“ _I am not!_ ” 

“Yes, you are. You’ve regressed. _Haven’t you?_ You were cooler before. You were better before. Now, you’re just weak and pathetic. No one wants you as a hero… _or as a son_.” 

“ _SHUT UP!_ ” screamed Dick at the top of his voice. Every time he heard these words, every time these horrible, _horrible_ self doubts spoke into his ears with his own voice, he couldn’t help but believe them. They seeped into his mind like drenching sludge; clogging up every truth he had ever known about himself. 

The strength left his body, another weak sob breaking his lips. He sunk down onto the body below him, the one that was his own, yet at the same time, he wanted nothing more than deny that this person was a part of his soul. He sobbed into the grey chest. Then, a terrifying lulling sound came from the dark boy’s mouth. 

“ _Shh, shh_. There, there, Dick.” Another icy hand slid around his back and patted him as if trying to comfort him – a poor substitute to real comfort. “It’s okay that you’re weak. You don’t have to be anything else. It’s okay that no one loves you. You don’t need anyone. You don’t have to do anything else. I promise. Just trust me. I’ll give you the secret to erasing all that pain, hm?” 

Then, there was a darker chuckle and the sound of breathing near Dick’s ear. The cruel voice entered there once more, its callous words fluttering over his skin. 

“ _Just die for me_.” 

Dick’s eyes burst open, an icy chill sliding down his back. An instant later, he rolled away and jumped to this feet; pulling himself into a fighting stance. 

If there was one thing Dick wasn’t going to do, it was die. Slade still needed him. That much he knew, that much he relied on. Slade, _his father_ , would be lost without him – the man had made that all too clear, even without saying the words out loud. 

This was just a dream. This was just an illusion. This person didn’t exist. He was just every evil thing incarnate. No matter how many times it acted like an old, dark friend, he wasn’t. There might be dark sides to Dick’s heart, as everything in life had a shadow, but that didn’t mean he had to accept it. That didn’t mean he would allow himself to fall and let it take over him. 

He was made of stronger stuff than that – tears and all. 

“You are a liar,” said Dick, glaring at the grey copy of himself. His opposite gave him a drawling smirk, those crimson eyes radiating dark pleasure, as if Dick’s pain was appetizing to him. 

“No, _you’re_ the liar,” whispered the dark boy. “After all, I am _you_.” 

“You are _nothing_ like me!” 

“I’m the same every time we meet. _You’re_ the one who changes. _You’re_ the one who _weakens_.” Those darks whispers were beginning to slip through Dick’s defenses once again. “Will you crack tomorrow night? Will you heed my words, then? Will seeing your _beloved_ _Starfire_ broken and bleeding destroy your mind? Or will seeing your _pretend father_ dead once more break your soul?” 

 _Just a little longer. I only have to endure this a little longer and I’ll wake up. It’s almost over; oh, please let it be over soon!_  

“It’s only over when _I_ say it is, Dick,” said the doppelganger, his sickening smile spreading wider. “I’m going to make you suffer, make you watch those deaths _over and over_ again, until you scream for mercy; until you _beg_ on your very knees, _groveling_ in the dirt, for your relief.” 

Those dark eyes took on a maniacal light. 

“And when that happens, I’ll laugh. Because your suffering will have only just begun. Such a tender heart as yours has no hope to survive. I swear this to you. I will steal from you every sweet thing you’ve ever known. I will destroy your friends and your family. Then, in the end, when you have nothing left, _I will kill you_.” 

His dark chuckle flowed into chilling laughter, which lifted into the air, just as he faded with a sickening breeze of the wind; the grey of his body disintegrating into fine dust. 

Then, a mocking voice seem to permeate throughout the land, laughing at the earth’s destruction – a voice that was cavernous, fiendish, and malevolent. It was pleased with the carnage, with the death, with the horrors. It seemed to breathe over Dick’s neck. He shuddered at the heated touch, a sob cracking his voice. Dark, deep laughter flooded over the landscape like volcanic gas; a voice so unearthly, so demonic, it shuddered the very corners of the earth. 

 _“The end is nigh.”_  

“ _NO!_ ” 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 3:13 am.**  

Dick bolted up in bed, gasping deep, gulping breaths; his scream dying across the walls of his room. The roaring in his ears began to fade and in its place, he heard the gentle, pitying mewls of Kuroi. She had fallen against his back from his sudden awakening. She maneuvered on the bed until she rubbed her head against his hand. Dick’s hand slowly lifted and stroked the kitten’s head, his other hand lifting to clutch the fabric in front of his heart. He glanced at the end table. The clock blared the time – after three o’clock in the morning. 

He shivered. 

Dick curled his arms around his stomach, the shivering intensifying. His entire body was covered in a sheen of sweat. The night air made him feel freezing, yet he hated the damp sensation over his body. He felt hot inside his chest. Dick pushed off the covers, only to feel even more cold. Nausea rose up inside his throat. Fear pulsed through him and he bolted out of bed, rushing to a wastebasket that sat next to his end table. He doubled over the edge, throwing up the contents of his stomach into the basket. Acid burned his throat, the smell of the waste assaulting his senses. He coughed and choked, tears welling up in his eyes. 

He retched until he couldn’t any more, dry heaving in the end. Dick’s stomach ached from the muscles it used. When he could gain control, he stumbled back against the bedside, his head resting against the side of the mattress and his chest heaving deeply in his breathing. He roughly wiped away the tears that had accumulated in his eyes. He stood up, grabbing the wastebasket. He walked to the other side of his room, the side partly blocked by the half way, and proceeded to his bathroom. He set the basket aside in there and rinsed out his mouth in the sink. His stomach threatened to dry heave again, but he forced it to calm down; taking long, deep breaths. 

Then, Dick walked back to his bed, not wanting to deal with the mess in the wastebasket. The foul, bitter taste in his mouth had faded somewhat, but he could still feel it lingering there. He crawled into bed and pulled the covers up, lying down and trying to bury himself beneath them. Kuroi mewled gently, as if asking if he were all right. She butted his wet cheek with her head and he lifted a hand to pet her soft fur. He closed his eyes, wishing he were back at home in his own room at that moment. 

Dick never thought he’d be homesick in Titans Tower. This place was his home, too, wasn’t it? Slade’s home was merely Dick’s second home, not his first. Titans Tower had always been Dick’s very first _home_ after his parents’ deaths. 

But it seemed quite apparent that Dick was all too used to living with Slade in that home, that place which was called a haunt. After so many months there, it was only natural that it became his _home_. Slade lived there. Wintergreen lived there. Those two men had become his family – Slade, his father; Wintergreen, a grandfather figure. Everything about that place seemed natural; from the tiles on the kitchen floor, from the white walls, from the signs on the doors for each bedroom, to the soft couch in the family room in the basement, to the library that contained so many books, to the kitchen table that held so many meals, to the soft bed that was his own and even the one in Slade’s room he had slept in after the nightmares – every single detail made up his _home_. 

The one he had with his father. 

The bed and room he was currently sleeping in felt like a stranger’s room. 

He curled into himself, pulling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. Kuroi mewled, purring softly as she rubbed up against Dick’s face; seeming to notice the distress that was pouring through her boy. 

He wanted to go home. He wanted to hear Slade’s voice. He wanted to be held in his father’s arms and be told everything was all right. He wanted those horrifying images to be burned away from his memory. His breathing hitched once as he thought about enduring the night alone. He couldn’t bear this night alone. He had done so the past week, but tonight was his limit. He needed to hear Slade’s voice. He needed to know he was still there. He almost wanted to peek into each of the Titans’ rooms, just to make sure they were all right. 

 _He wanted to go home…_  

Then, a thought flashed through his mind. He uncurled and dug beneath his pillow, pulling out his cell phone. His finger laced over the black surface of the screen. 

Could he call Slade right now? 

It was the middle of the night. It probably wouldn’t be wise to wake Slade. 

 _But_ … 

Slade always said that he was there for Dick. He always said that he didn’t mind being there for him any time, whether it be day or night. 

Further images flashed in Dick’s mind, rising with them was the pit of nausea in his stomach. He bit his lower lip, squeezing his eyes shut and willing those terrible images from his mind. Words flittered through his thoughts; that taunting voice mocking his sanity even in his waking hours. Such things were too horrible for him to be able to sleep again. Should he bother Slade? Should he bother his father? Wasn’t that what having a father in his life again meant? That he could call upon the man at any time he desperately needed him? 

That he didn’t have to endure things on his own any more? 

Without realizing it, his fingers had turned on the device and pushed the call button to Slade’s cell phone. Dick pressed the phone beneath his ear as he laid back onto his pillow. Kuroi silently curled up at the back of his neck, purring softly. 

As he listened to the phone ringing, Dick wondered if Slade even had his phone on or if he’d answer it – it was late, after all. Dick didn’t have his phone on at night. Slade probably had it on vibrate or something and was sleeping soundly— 

The phone clicked. 

“Dick? Dick, are you all right?” 

Dick’s voice caught inside his throat as his breath hitched. A small wave of emotion ran through him. The man had answered. _He had answered_. He was _alive_ – of course, he was. Even though it was the middle of the night, Slade had left his phone on – had even answered when he’d probably been asleep. Dick swallowed the lump in his throat. _His father was there for him_. 

“Dick? Are you all right? What’s wrong?” 

Slade’s voice sounded tired, as if he’d been awakened from sleep. However, there was a strong amount of worry inside that smooth voice. Dick rested his head more against the pillow, cradling the phone to his ear. He wished he could do that with his father’s hand, feel that warmth beneath his cheek. The phone felt so cold. 

“I’m okay.” 

There was a brief pause as Dick listened to Slade breathing in. Dick drank the sound in, letting that alone bring him comfort when he couldn’t have the human warmth. 

“Another nightmare?” 

“Yeah,” whispered Dick. There was a long sigh from Slade. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“Not really…” 

“Was it the usual nightmare?” 

“No… it wasn’t a memory.” 

There was silence for a few moments. The only sounds that entered Dick’s ears were the purring of the kitten and Slade’s breathing on the other end of the phone. 

“If it wasn’t a past memory,” began Slade, his tone soft. “Then, it was just a dream. It wasn’t real – just a nightmare; a figment of your imagination.” 

He could’ve believed that. Dick could’ve believed that if it’d only been a single dream, a single nightmare. But this horrible dream kept plaguing him, ravaging his nights with its cruelty and savagery. He had no rest from it. The beginning was exactly the same, never varying a single degree. Then, that final part of the nightmare, that moment where he was faced with something truly heart failing, it always unraveled his thinking. Some unknown force was mocking him, forcing this recurring dream upon his nights – there was no doubt in his mind. It was _unnerving_ , to say the least. It frightened him terribly to think that something like that could come to pass. 

What if the dream was warning him of the future? What then? What if it wasn’t his imagination that was playing this cruel trick on him? What if it was something more than that? Once again, even lies could be believed after being repeated so many times. If this was a lie, Dick was slowly starting to believe it. He couldn’t take it any more – the images were being carved into his very mind; the silky, evil words were being etched into his heart. 

“What about… recurring dreams?” 

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone. 

“Is this the same dream that’s been happening?” asked Slade, his tone turning sharper. 

“The first time was when I brought Kuroi home,” whispered Dick. “That night that I… that I slept in your room. It’s the same dream that’s… well, that’s basically been occurring every night since then.” 

There was a sharp intakes of breath. 

“ _Every night?_ ” breathed Slade, his shock and displeasure heavy in his tone. “Why haven’t you told me this sooner?” There was another intake of breath. “So, _that’s_ why you were up so early yesterday morning.” 

“Yeah…” 

There was another period of silence. 

“Why haven’t you told me?” 

Dick sucked in his breath. He remained silent, unsure how to answer that. Why hadn’t he told Slade that he was having nightmares? He still wasn’t sure of the answer. It didn’t make sense. Somehow, every time he wanted to open his mouth, the words locked inside his mind. The doppelganger’s words would fill his thoughts, poisoning his heart. He couldn’t bear it if those words that were seeping into his mind were suddenly true. 

“Dick?” prodded Slade. Dick sighed softly, curling his face near the phone a little more. 

“I don’t know. I just… I just didn’t want…” Dick trailed off, unable to form his thoughts any more. 

“Dick, you’re not to hide these kinds of things from me, do you understand?” said Slade, his tone serious. “If you’re having problems and issues, you need to tell me. I need to be aware of your health and I can’t always tell if something’s wrong if you hide it from me. No more hiding something as serious as this. Am I understood?” 

Something in the man’s tone completely meant business. There was no wavering there. Dick was to obey that request or else there would be consequences – that much Dick understood. It was Slade, after all. The man expected obedience, one way or another. That much had been carried into the adoption. 

But at that moment, Dick wasn’t sure if he could obey that command. He just wasn’t sure if he could tell the man he was having this nightmare every time it occurred. It gave the man another opportunity to ask what it was and Dick just couldn’t. _He just couldn’t_. 

 _There was no way_. 

“Yes, sir,” whispered Dick. There was a sigh from Slade and another pause, before the man continued. 

“What is the dream about?” 

Dick’s breath caught inside his chest as he was once again assaulted by the images of the dream. He couldn’t answer that question. He couldn’t bring to words the terrible, horrific nature of the nightmare – of what it entailed. It was just simply too awful to say out loud. Saying it out loud would only make it seem real. Saying it out loud would mean those words were real. Saying it out loud felt as if it brought power to it. He couldn’t tell Slade that he saw the ones he loved dead or that he saw the world’s destruction. He couldn’t tell Slade the words of self doubt that his double spoke to him. He couldn’t tell his father about someone so awful when it represented _his own self_. He couldn’t articulate just how frightening it was or how much it was burned into the memory of his mind. 

He just couldn’t do it. 

“I can’t—” Dick shuddered. “I can’t talk about it. It’s too horrible, too terrible, too _everything_.” 

There was a long pause, as if Slade were considering his words. Dick shuddered again, curling an arm around his stomach as he felt nausea rise there again. He wanted them to stop. He needed these nightmares to stop. Why couldn’t he have a peaceful night any more? How much longer did he have to endure it? 

Then, a soft voice reverberated inside his ear. 

“No matter what, the dream isn’t real, Dick. You know that, right? You’re safe, no matter how terrible the dream or whatever happened there – they were merely created inside your mind. It _isn’t_ real. You’re safe. It’s safe to sleep. I will always protect you.” 

A warm glow flooded inside Dick’s heart at those words. He smiled, clutching the phone tighter unconsciously, as if wishing he could do the same to Slade at that moment. 

“Do you understand me?” 

“Yes, sir,” whispered Dick. “Thanks, Dad. I’m really glad I have you.”

There was another pause. 

“I feel the same, Dick. Will you be able to sleep now?” 

Dick’s smile grew wider, his heart warming deeply. 

“Yeah, thanks for picking up. Even though you were probably sleeping.” 

“I’ll always pick up for you,” said Slade, his answer swift. “Night and day, _always_.” 

Dick’s eyes burned at that. It took him a moment to collect his emotions. He had to swallow once, to erase the building lump that had formed inside his throat. 

 _It was nice… Nice to have a father who cared._  

“Night, Dad. _Love you_.” 

There was yet another pause, much longer than before; until, “Good night, son. I love you, too.” 

The call ended. Dick slid the phone beneath his pillow, feeling Kuroi curled against his skin even closer. He wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down his cheek. Then, he placed a hand against the kitten’s back, stroking the fur and feeling her purrs vibrate against his neck, lulling him gently as he closed his eyes. With those comforting words of his father filling his mind, Dick slowly drifted back into a dreamless sleep. 

ooOOOOOoo


	5. Among the Trained

**Chapter Five**

**Among the Trained**  

 

 **April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 10:08 am.**  

“I refuse.” 

“Come on, Dad, please?” 

“I’m telling you, boy, I refuse.” 

“But we _need_ you,” pleaded Dick, pulling his most sincere tone he could into his voice. 

There was a snort. 

“I honestly can’t believe you’ve been planning this for a week and you just _now_ decide to spring it on me. I don’t think it’s a good idea. And at any rate, your friends still haven’t quite gotten used to me.” 

“ _What_ , you’re not _afraid_ to come, _are you?_ ” 

There was silence on the phone. Dick grinned to himself as he heard the man draw a deep breath there on the other line. The following words were said with careful precision. 

“ _Don’t be ridiculous_.” 

“Then, you should have no problem coming, now should you?” 

The conversation between Dick and his reluctant father had been going on for quite a few minutes. Dick knew his victory in convincing the man was near and he continued to plow forth valiantly. He knew Slade didn’t think this was a good idea, but Dick believed it was. The Titans needed the man’s expertise. Slade had so much to offer them and if the plan went through, then it would be the first time that Slade made his presence known at the Tower. 

It wasn’t that the Titans weren’t aware of Slade’s presence in Dick’s life now. They knew that Slade was a father to him. They knew that the man had given up everything to be just that. They also knew how much Dick needed the man in his life. They had visited his home twice since he had come back to the Titans, but they honestly avoided Slade whenever they could. They accepted the fact that Dick wanted the man in his life, but they certainly didn’t make any efforts to have the man in _their_ lives. 

And Dick was going to change that. 

Slade had much to offer the Titans. Dick had already been planning on getting Slade’s help with the training schedule that he had created for his team, but he hadn’t known when he wanted to start. Terra was the perfect reason to set his plans into motion. She wasn’t as skilled as the other Titans. Nor could was she skilled in using her powers. Training with Slade could help her gain the right kind of edge on them. Not to mention, the Titans could great benefit from such knowledge, too. 

“Did you do the dishes like I told you to?” 

Dick had to bite back a giggle. “Don’t change the subject, Dad.” 

“Well, _did_ you?” 

Dick sighed, shaking his head. “I did them this morning before I called you.” 

“You’re such a mischievous imp, you know that, right?” said Slade, his amused tone fully apparent there. Dick only smiled. 

“So you’ve said before. Come on, Dad. The Titans need you. We bow down to your all awesome power and _amazingness_.” 

There was a low snorting sound that soon melded into highly amused chuckles. Dick couldn’t hold back his own smile as he heard the man laughing. 

“You’re really laying it on thick, aren’t you, boy?” 

“Anything to get you to come. Really, Dad. I need you to see what each of us are lacking and help us overcome it. We need to grow individually as well as a team and you’re good at finding our weak points.” 

There was a low sigh. Silence soon followed it. 

“So, you’ll be here in ten minutes, right?” 

“ _Hold up_ , I haven’t agreed. And anyway, you know it’s a good twenty to twenty-five minutes to get to the Tower, boy,” drawled Slade, sounding somewhat annoyed and grouchy at the thought. 

“Make it here in ten minutes, Dad. Wear workout clothes, would you?” 

There was an exasperated sigh on the other line. Dick could only grin wider. 

“ _Fine_. I shall do this. Ruin my image further, will you, child? But beware, for when I show up, you’re in for a swat, you impudent, pushy little brat.” 

There was the undeniable sound of teasing in the man’s tone. 

“Love you, too, Dad.” 

There was a snorting sound before the call ended. Dick flexed his shoulders, still unable to wipe the grin from off his face. Yup, he was officially excited now. He was sure his friends would take awhile to get used to Slade, but once they warmed up, they were sure to realize that Slade was different now. They just needed to see it more. He wasn’t that old criminal. He was just a man and he was just a father – nothing more and nothing less. 

But it meant everything in the world to Dick. 

Dick clapped his hands together. They were currently outside on the training ground of the island. There were numerous large rocks and stones in the area. Hidden beneath many of the boulders were machines of an obstacle course. The Titans were assuming that this was going to be their training today. 

Well, they were wrong. 

Dick had a plan. He knew that they were a decent team. They could handle themselves quite well with a common criminal. However, what if they were faced with someone as powerful as Deathstroke? If a criminal of that level came against them, they would fall. No amount of ‘good guy vs. bad guy’ could change that fact. Dick had learned that all too well the past year. If Slade had truly been after them as a group, they would’ve been destroyed. Even some of the Gotham villains would be troublesome for the Teen Titans. 

Thus, they needed some specialized training. Dick knew that his father excelled in combat of multiple forms. Dick hoped that he could help his friends learn new fighting art forms that could be used in harmony with their powers. Slade had that perfect eye of seeing what you were doing wrong during a fight and then just how to correct it. Dick had spent months under Slade’s constant training; thus, he knew how good a teacher the man was. 

His friends needed to experience this. 

The other four Titans and potential ‘Titan in training’ were sitting on the ground, waiting for the day’s events to begin. Terra was the only one who was looking nervous between the group. She was clasping her hands and unclasping them. Her hair kept falling into her face, and every once and awhile, she would tuck it behind her ear. 

“All right, gang,” began Dick, clapping his hands together once again. “I’ve got a treat for us today.” 

Those words were quite effective over the group – at least for the boys. Starfire always looked excited about everything; Raven was just Raven; and Terra still looked nervous. 

“What kind of treat?” asked Beast Boy, his pointed ears perking upwards. 

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” said Dick with a happy smirk. 

“Aww…” 

“Also, the one who does the best gets their choice of what movie we watch tonight and first choice of pizza.” 

That fired up the boys beyond measure. Cyborg let out his trademark _‘booyah!’_ while Beast Boy whooped in the air. Both of them began stretching vigorously and commenced telling the other that he was going _down_ in one elaborate fashion or another. 

Dick smiled. He knew that the excitement of this wouldn’t last for long once they knew _who_ they had to train with. _Ah, well_. 

Dick turned his glance to Terra. He could see the nervousness that she was emanating. There was an uncertainty about her whole stance and Dick could feel it. He felt that if he wasn’t forthcoming with the girl, then she wouldn’t be either. What he was about to do would be the first step with ensuring her position in the group. Dick truly felt that she had no other place to go. Not to mention, she would make a good addition to their team. 

Once he did this, he would confront her after training. He would find out what she _really_ wanted with them. But in the meantime, he would take the first step. It was a risky move. He knew it. But he was going to do it anyway. 

“Terra,” began Dick, squaring his shoulders and standing tall. He took a deep breath. _This is it_. “I wanted to fully introduce myself to you.” 

The other Titans stiffened suddenly and gave him wary looks. The two boys stopped their stretching, shocked in their stances. Cyborg’s eyes widened as Beast Boy’s ears flicked upward. Even Raven looked surprised, appearing unsettled by this news. Starfire glanced between the group, looking slightly confused. Dick lifted his hand to his face and clasped the edge of his mask, but was halted by Cyborg as he quickly spoke up; his nervousness fully apparent in his tone. 

“Wait, Rob, are you sure you want to do that? I mean…” 

There was a quiet pause between the group as Dick’s friends watched him with uncertain expressions. There was a moment where his heart wavered once. Was this the right choice? Dick couldn’t know for sure. But truly… he did feel that this was the path he should follow. He did feel that he was supposed to tell Terra his name; that he should be completely open with her. 

In all honesty, he didn’t want to hide behind his mask any more. He had long abandoned that identity. He couldn’t be that boy any longer. If he tried again, _Dick_ just might fall beneath the cracks; thus, losing all sense of his true self. That had already happened once before. 

Being someone he wasn’t just couldn’t be allowed again. 

“Yes, I’m sure,” answered Dick, his resolution filling his tone and reaffirming his stance. Terra glanced at the group, obviously feeling the tension that suddenly rose between them. 

“Do what?” 

“I’m going to tell you my true name,” said Dick, giving her a soft smile. Terra’s eyes widened. “This is an act of trust. The others don’t really have another identity. I’m the only one who hides behind a mask. Here at the Tower, though, I don’t do that any more and with your presence here, I’d rather not have to go back to that.” Dick’s smile grew. “That’s why I’m going to show you an act of trust. I hope you’ll respect it.” 

Terra nodded, her eyes still wide. With strength rising inside his chest, Dick removed the barrier from his eyes and gave her an unmasked smile. It felt good to take off the mask; so different from his old self a year ago, who hadn’t been able to bear to sleep without it. He took a step forward and held out his hand. 

“My name is Richard Grayson, but everyone just calls me Dick. Nice to officially meet you, Terra.” 

The girl accepted his handshake, still looking extremely surprised by his actions. Cyborg looked the most uneasy out of the other four Titans. Since he was the oldest, he knew the consequences should Terra decide to turn around and use that knowledge against Dick. 

But Dick felt that she wouldn’t use this information against him. There was something suspicious about the girl, _yes_. However, somehow Dick just knew she wouldn’t sell out his identity. Why or how he knew, Dick wasn’t sure. It was just a feeling inside his heart. It was like that moment his heart _knew_ he could trust Slade’s word. 

It was just a special feeling, one he couldn’t describe, nor one he could grasp. It hadn’t really been logical, yet he had just _known_. That was exactly how he just knew that Terra had a good heart. 

“All right, in about fifteen minutes or so, the surprise will be here. So, I suggest we stretch while we wait, because training starts right when the surprise comes!” 

Thus, the six teens went about their stretching exercises. There was a lot of speculation about what the surprise would be and Dick was heavily amused by it all. Raven alone seemed to know what it truly was – well, _really_ , it didn’t take a lot of thinking to figure it out. But only Raven was _that_ sharp. Dick was thankful she didn’t say anything about it, however. It would’ve caused some contention, that was for sure. 

Not that contention was unavoidable… 

As Dick stretched with his friends, he kept his attention to the ocean; watching for when that boat would sail. He felt fidgety and nervous, even with his excitement. He was worried about the approaching argument that would no doubt occur once the man arrived. He hoped that a full out war wouldn’t happen over the man instructing them. 

This should be… _interesting_. 

It was a few minutes later when Dick caught sight of the boat coming near Titans Tower. Truly, Dick must’ve looked like a child on Christmas morning when he saw that boat. Raven kept throwing him a raised eyebrow, but he shrugged and gave her a bright grin – in the which, she’d roll her eyes and shake her head at him. 

Finally, Dick couldn’t hold back the broad smile that spread over his face as he saw the boat dock. It was going to crack his face – there was no doubt about that. Containing his childlike excitement was like asking the sun to stop rising with each new day. 

He enjoyed training a lot with Slade – more so now that he wasn’t going to be forced as an apprentice to a mercenary. However, this was a revolutionary moment in time. Slade was here on the island, at Titans Tower, as a _guest_ ; as a trainer; as a mentor; as a master of what he did. A year ago, it would’ve been a cross between an unimaginable and blissful dream to a frightening and horrific nightmare. Now, it was merely an amazing reality. It made Dick’s heart glow with pure joy. 

But he knew it would only last for a few moments of peace before the animosity set in. 

And he was right. 

“ _Slade?_ ” hissed Cyborg, as he glanced at the dock. The unmistakable form of Slade was currently beginning the trek up the dirt pathway. “What’s _he_ doing here?” There was a discontented pause, as the others looked in the direction Cyborg was talking about. Then, a dawning realization flooded through the older teen’s features. “ _That’s_ the surprise? _Him?_ ” 

“Pretty much,” replied Dick with a shrug, hoping that that this whole thing would blow over easily. 

 _As if_. 

“That’s not a surprise. That’s a _nightmare!_ ” 

“What? What’s wrong?” asked Terra, glancing between the group. Unfortunately, her words were set upon deaf ears. 

“I am _not_ training with him,” said Cyborg, the displeasure and loathing prevalent in his tone. The happiness that had been rising inside Dick’s heart suddenly vanished. He knew it’d be difficult to do this, but he hadn’t realized it’d be _this_ difficult. 

“Cy, he has a lot to offer this team,” said Dick, gently trying to convince the older boy. “He’s a good teacher and he’s _willing_ to teach us. There’s nothing bad with—” 

“ _Nothing bad?_ ” repeated Cyborg incredulously, his human eye flashing with anger, while his inhuman one seemed to glow with a harsher red. “Are you forgetting _who he is?_ ” 

Dick stiffened. “I’ve _never_ forgotten.” 

“Please, friends,” began Starfire, lifting her hands into the air with placating kindness. Her voice had an element of peace, but it, too, was falling on deaf ears. “We must not fight about this. I am sure that Dick has a very good reason to bring Slade here. Surely we can—” 

“Look, Star, I get that you can be nice to everyone and forgive everyone, since you’re so kind,” said Cyborg, the derision dripping through his tone – yet, there was a sincerity to his compliments. “But I haven’t forgotten what he’s done; and I’m not just gonna let him come here and act like everything is fine.” 

“Why wouldn’t everything be fine?” asked Terra, trying again. 

She was, sadly, ignored again. 

“Everything _is_ fine,” insisted Dick, his hands slowly beginning to clench into fists at his sides. “Why can’t you see that?” 

“ _Because_ there’s _nothing_ to see!” 

“ _Enough!_ ” snapped Raven, making the entire group flinch from the sharpness of her tone. “I honestly don’t see the problem here. We shouldn’t be fighting about something so trivial.” 

“ _Trivial?_ ” demanded Cyborg hotly. “But—” 

“Robin is _here_ ,” said Raven, her voice low, yet carrying a powerful air. “He is _safe_. There are no more problems. We shouldn’t be making up issues that have been resolved for a month now.” 

Cyborg let out a huff, folding his arms and glaring out at the ocean. Beast Boy’s ears were drooping sadly as he looked between the two boys. Terra looked as confused as ever and even a little miffed at being ignored for so long. But it was obviously a bit bigger than her. Dick sighed, wishing that everything would be all right already. 

It hurt. 

It honestly hurt. 

He had thought that Cyborg was at least _civil_ about the subject of Slade, but it seemed that the older teen had been allowing hard feelings to fester. Would Cyborg ever not hate Slade? 

Luckily, Dick didn’t have long to wallow in the tension at the moment, because Slade finally walked up the pathway toward them. He stopped, once he came to Dick’s side. For a moment, the man observed him with a raised eyebrow. Dick was truly an open book when it came to being read by the man, because it was then that Slade dropped a hand onto his head and ruffled the mop of raven black hair with affection; causing a delighted, soft giggle to escape Dick’s lips. There was a narrowing of dark eyes at this, but it remained unseen. 

Slade’s kind gesture relieved some of the hurt that had begun to prick Dick’s heart. 

Shockingly, the man had actually done what Dick had requested. Slade was wearing a black t-shirt and light grey sweat pants. His upper arms were bare, along with his forearms; revealing a thin coating of pure white hair on his skin. It was more noticeable due to the bright sunlight that shone down on them all. 

It was certainly a different picture for the Titans to see. This wasn’t the man in an immaculate, white button down collar shirt nor was this the man in pressed black slacks. This wasn’t the man in an intimidating Kevlar suit nor was this the man in a mask of mystery. 

This was just a man in workout clothes, who looked more than an expert with those prominent muscles displayed clearly. Slade’s arm muscles weren’t abnormally large, however. His overall look did produce power. This wasn’t a man to be trifled with – there was no doubt about _that_. 

Slade instantly could tell there was tension in the group – Dick could see it in the man’s expression. Slade raised an eyebrow as he glanced over the teens. Then, he rested his ‘I told you this wouldn’t be a good idea’ smirk onto Dick, who shrugged and just gave him a happy smile. 

It was going to work, one way or another – Dick was going to make sure of it. 

“Thanks for coming, Dad,” whispered Dick. Slade only gave him a soft smile. The joy of having Slade – _his father_ – here at the Tower was nearly overwhelming. Dick couldn’t help the broad grin that was threatening to literally break his face. His cheeks were beginning to hurt. 

It was a good thing. 

“So, you guys know… Slade,” said Dick, giving the man a weak wave in a gesture; actually feeling _strange_ with calling the man by his name. Funny how much things had changed. This man wasn’t just _‘Slade’_ any more. He was _‘Dad’_. The expression he received from this statement was comical. But he continued on anyway, “Terra, this is my father, Slade Wilson.” 

Slade inclined his head briefly. Terra’s eyes slowly took in the intimidating man. Well, Dick had to admit, Slade could be pretty scary and daunting when he wanted to be so. Somehow, Dick had gotten used to that, though. 

Then, Slade’s eye glanced between Dick and Terra, before it slowly began to widen, as if he were just noticing something. 

“Dick, where’s your mask?” asked Slade in a low voice, that grey blue eye still taking in the two of them, before resting on eye contact with Dick. There was a growing unsettled feeling that was beginning to emanate from the man. 

“Oh, I took it off.” 

That unsettled feeling that Slade had been giving off suddenly escalated. He pulled Dick away by putting an arm around his shoulders; firmly, yet gently guiding him apart from the others. There was an intense glare from Cyborg at the sight of that. Once they were a small distance from the group, Slade leaned down to Dick’s hearing level. 

“Who is this child?” asked Slade quietly, so that the others couldn’t hear them. Dick sighed, unable to keep a small amount of testiness out of his voice. 

“I told you, Dad. That’s Terra. She’s going to be the newest member of the Teen Titans.” 

A hand pinched Dick’s ear, making him wince at the stern expression from his father. He never could get away with anything when this man was around. The firm hand let go of his ear. 

“Be respectful, young man. You’ve never spoken about her.” 

“She’s the girl I mentioned yesterday,” began Dick, trying to indiscreetly rub his ear. “You know, the one we just met.” 

“ _Yesterday?_ ” hissed Slade, his expression turning to anger; the light in his grey blue eye sparking furiously. “You met her _yesterday_ and you’ve already brought her into your group? Not only that, you showed her your _identity?_ ” 

“Yeah, but—” 

“ _Idiot boy!_ ” snapped Slade, his tone rising as he grabbed Dick by the shoulders, nearly shaking him once. This raised voice gained them glances from the Titans. Dick felt his face flush from the man’s incensed tone. 

“ _Da-a-ad_ ,” whispered Dick, drawing out the man’s name as his eyes darting to his friends; feeling the embarrassment rise up inside his chest. His cheeks heated up at their stares. “Keep your voice down, will ya?” 

“I thought you were more intelligent than this,” said Slade, hissing underneath his breath as he glared at Dick. The man’s hands squeeze his flesh firmly. “I thought you _knew_ not to be free with that kind of information.” 

“I _know_ —” 

“Yet, you did it anyway.” As Dick was about to voice his further protests, Slade put up a warning hand. “This is _serious_ , Dick. You don’t know _anything_ about that girl. She could very well be an enemy.” 

“She’s not!” 

“You don’t know that,” said Slade, his tone turning sharper. “You only know what you see and only what she tells you. You aren’t this naive normally. 

“I’m not being naive!” snapped Dick, forgetting that they were still gaining an audience. “I knew it was a risk, but I needed to do this for Terra. I felt that were something off with her and—” 

Slade raised his hand yet again, the anger rising in his indomitable eye. The man’s nostrils flared and Dick wondered if he had pushed him too far. For a moment, Slade took a deep breath, letting it out softly. His jaw clenched as his Adam’s apple contracted with a light swallow. 

“Are you telling me,” began Slade, each word drawing out slowly; the restrained anger in his eye widening further. “That you are _suspicious_ of this girl, and you _still_ told her your most important and guarded secret?” 

Dick was suddenly overcome with the realization that Slade thought he had done something _very wrong_. He’d known the man would be displeased with his decision, but he hadn’t realized Slade would be _this_ livid about it. Suddenly, the choice to tell Terra his real name didn’t seem like such a good idea. But something inside his heart had told him that he needed to do so. Surely it wasn’t _that_ big of a deal. 

 _Right?_  

This was _Slade_ – _of course_ , it was a big deal. 

Swallowing nervously, Dick said weakly, meekness flowing through his whispered voice, “Uhm… _yes?_ ” 

Instantly, Slade grabbed Dick by the underarm and dragged him away from the group, fully ignoring his quiet and frantic protests. Dick glanced back nervously at the other Titans to see Cyborg’s eyes narrow darkly, the irritation fully prevalent across his features. Beast Boy own eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his face, while Starfire appeared thoroughly confused about what was happening – as did Terra – and perhaps even a bit confused. And Raven… Well, Raven was _Raven_. 

Dick couldn’t escape as he was pulled further away. 

Once they were out of the sight of the others, the high boulders hiding them from view, Dick suddenly jerked to the side in a panic – _just in time_ to avoid the sharp, reprimanding hand of Slade from connecting with his backside. It was actually downright comical because of the extent in the angle his body arched to avoid its dangerous path – _well_ , only comical if there hadn’t been a threat of it attempting a second go around. 

Therefore, it wasn’t that funny to Dick. 

“ _Whoa_ , Dad! They’ll hear you,” whispered Dick, his tone panicked and his heart pounding in his chest. _That had been close_. However, the man still maintained his firm grip on Dick’s underarm. 

“I cannot _believe_ you are seriously telling me that you’re _suspicious_ of this girl and you _still_ made the choice to tell her! _How is this not insane?!_ ” hissed Slade, completely ignoring him and preparing to aim once more. Dick quickly grabbed that dangerous and ominous hand in desperation with his own free hand. The glare that bore down on him was withering and chilling – enough to send shivers down anyone self respecting person’s spine – but Dick was determined to maintain _some_ dignity in this whole thing. 

“Dad, _please_ , not here!”

“How could you be so foolish?” demanded Slade, attempting to pull his hand away. “I’m _shocked_ at you. How _dare_ you put your life at _risk!_ ” 

“But Dad—” 

“ _Hold still_.” 

“Dad, _listen to me!_ ” cried Dick, clutching Slade’s hand even harder; now more in the act of making his father hear him out, instead avoiding a reprimand. – although, he was attempting to avoid that, too, if at all possible. “ _Please_ , would you just _listen_ for a minute?” 

There was a light growl inside Slade’s throat. There was a pause as Slade continued to stare down at him – _more like glare_ – until he completely removed himself from Dick’s grasp; releasing his arm as well. The man crossed his arms sternly in front of his chest, drawing up on his full height. 

“Sixty seconds. _Go_.” 

 _Sixty seconds?! Way to be patient, Dad._  

“I know it sounds crazy,” began Dick, trying to say his piece, but with the way the man was glaring down at him, his thoughts were jumbling together worse than a tumbling pile of clothes in a laundry mat. “But I know Terra has a good heart. Somehow, I just know she won’t sell out my identity.” 

“You… just… _know?_ ” repeated Slade slowly, drawing out each word with overflowing incredulity in his tone. 

“Well, yeah,” finished Dick, honestly feeling a bit lame now. Whenever this man dissected his actions, he always felt exposed to the stupidity of his choices. It wasn’t fair. His intentions had been in the right place. There was no reason for Slade to get so upset by this. 

All such previous thoughts escaped Dick’s brain as there was another furious glare from his father. 

“ _Are you hearing yourself?_ ” snapped Slade, his voice hissing slightly in his irritation. “Are you not hearing the pure _idiocy_ here?” 

“Dad, _please_ …” 

Slade let out an exasperated groan that was mixed with a heavy sigh. He put a hand onto his forehead, slowly bringing it down over his face, until he tugged onto the fur that grew on his chin in the form of a white goatee. 

“I cannot believe your immaturity on this matter,” said Slade, his tone soft, yet still with a touch of frustration. “I know you’re only fifteen and male – thus, bound to make poor decisions in judgment – but I still expected more from _you_ , being who you are.” 

Well, that certainly bruised Dick’s ego. Not to mention, he could feel the disappointment in the man’s tone – and _that_ alone just made everything a lot worse. However, as the man’s words continued to sink into his mind, Dick paused; frowning heavily. 

“Wait, what does being _male_ have to do with anything?” demanded Dick, folding his arms and staring at up the man; a defiant air beginning to flow from his person without his full approval. He wasn’t about to contend the age factor at that moment. Slade let out an annoyed sigh, dragging his hand over his face yet again. 

“It is common medical knowledge that females mature faster than their male counterparts,” answered Slade, his tone almost condescending as he dropped into his instructor voice. 

“ _Hey!_ Are you saying I’m not mature enough to make these kinds of decisions just because I’m a boy?” 

Slade gave him a salient, penetrating look. 

“Think about your female team members and tell me they’re not more mature than the male members.” 

Dick opened his mouth to instantly protest, before he paused. Memories flashed through his mind. A moment later, he clamped his mouth shut and gave out a grudging sigh. 

“Point taken.” 

Slade inclined his head pointedly. There was an awkward pause for Dick. His bit his lower lip and rubbed the palms of his hands against his sweat pants. He flicked nervous glances up at Slade to see what the man was feeling now. Slade was merely looking down at him with a scrutinizing eye. Finally, after a moment, Slade spoke up, his tone calm. 

“Why are you suspicious of this girl?” 

Dick could only shrug. 

“Well, I thought that maybe she was the one who gave us the tip about it. It seemed too well thought out.” 

“That fight against the giant scorpion?” asked Slade, his eyebrow raising. “The one that you said you got a little beat up?” Slade’s eye narrowed darkly at Dick’s nod. “Exactly _how_ beat up are we talking about here? Were any of you injured at all?” 

“Uh… j–just a little…” At Slade’s increasing glare, Dick gulped and continued, “I just got a little cut is all…” There was another stern ‘glare filled’ pause. “ _Okay_ , so it was a gash, but Raven healed it, so you don’t have to worry, Dad,” he added hurriedly. “Oh, and a small burn, too; and, uh… Starfire got burned as well.”

“Did you not think that this girl could be dangerous? She got you and your friend _injured!_ ” snapped Slade, his expression immediately chasing away his brief calmness. “What if that had been her plan all along? Are you truly not realizing that you could not only be putting yourself in danger, but your friends as well?!” 

Dick blinked, biting his lower lip. No, he hadn’t thought about _that_. Why hadn’t _he_ thought about that? It made his stomach churn at the very thought. He truly did believe he had done the right thing. He was still planning on confronting Terra about her purpose with the team. But getting injured in a battle happened all the time; thus, he hadn’t given it much thought. 

But what if Slade was right? 

It suddenly frightened him – which was rare when it came to something like this. Second guessing himself wasn’t something Dick was used to, but now with those logical words slipping through his mind, he was doing just that. What if he had just made a fatal mistake? 

“I’m sorry,” whispered Dick, swallowing once as his lower lip trembled without his permission. “I really believed I was doing the right thing.” 

That much was true. He _had_ thought he was doing the right thing; and, in fact, a large part of his heart still believed he had made the right decision. Sometimes, what the heart knew to be right completely countered with what the mind believed to be right. However, in the end, Dick relied more on his heart than his mind – which was the opposite of what ‘Robin’ would do. 

The entire basis of his newfound relationship with Slade as the man’s son could be considered _illogical_ to the mind, but his heart fully and absolutely _knew_ beyond a _shadow of a doubt_ that it was the _right_ thing. 

There was a deep sigh. 

“We will still be having a long discussion about this tonight,” said Slade, his tone sharp, yet there was a gentleness that was beginning to seep through it. Nonetheless, Dick winced at the implications of that. 

“Uh… i–in my room, sir?” 

There was a long inhale. A softness seemed to entire the man’s features. But it was replaced with a stern flare within that grey blue eye as the man let out the inhale of breath. 

“Well, that certainly remains to be seen, now doesn’t it?” said Slade, a suggestive drawl lilting in his tone. “Your intentions seem to be innocent enough, but your attitude has been something less than desired. But I want you to understand this, our conversation about the subject _isn’t_ over.” That frightening look entered the man’s features again. “We _will_ have a discussion and I will ascertain at that point on whether or not you’re in big trouble for your foolish judgment. Being a hero again does _not_ mean I will allow you to make poor choices in the matter of your safety.” 

Dick’s shoulders drooped downward, his body hunching slightly in this action. 

“I wasn’t… I didn’t mean…” 

“I understand that you are no longer used to being solely Robin in your life,” continued Slade, his tone softening as his lecture persisted. “But I still want you to guard your identity. It is only with your safety in mind that I say this. Do you understand me?” 

Dick nodded glumly. “Yes, sir.” 

“Good.” 

“You’ll still train us today, won’t you?” asked Dick hopefully, glancing up at the man with pleading eyes and praying internally that he hadn’t messed everything up now. It would be horrible if that had happened. It had been so exciting for Dick to have the man here. 

However, it seemed as if this wasn’t the case. 

There was an exasperated sigh and a shake of the head. Dick had a fleeting feeling that he couldn’t be in _too_ much trouble if the man could ruffle his hair this gently with that affectionate smile tugging at his mouth – and that was exactly what was happening at that moment. 

A glowing peace entered Dick’s heart as he felt the man’s warmth – through that kind hand and through that gentle, yet tired tone as he spoke his reply. 

“If I must.”


	6. One on One

**Chapter Six**

**One on One**  

 

 **April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 10:36 am.**  

Dick had to count himself lucky at that moment. 

He had narrowly evaded that frightening hand from giving him a good clout across the backside – not that this meant he was out of the woods just yet, so to speak – and Slade was now looking over each of his friends with that critical eye that was used when instructing and teaching. 

It was going to be a good day – Dick just knew it. 

Well, he was hopeful, in the very least. The two of them had come back to the group and Dick was very proud of the control his will had over the heat in his cheeks. Although, he didn’t know it, but there was still a flush of gentle pink gracing his cheeks. For the others, Dick was just going to act like everything was perfectly fine and normal between them. 

And that Cyborg wasn’t giving Slade the darkest look known to mankind. 

“So, how do you want to do this, Dad?” asked Dick, looking up at the man. Slade was still analyzing the teens that stood before him. Terra and Beast Boy were fidgeting underneath his stares, Raven was completely apathetic to him, Starfire was cheerfully smiling, and Cyborg was returning the stare with a scorching one of his own. 

Slade was unaffected. 

“I think some one on one time with each of the Titans would be advisable first,” said Slade, folding his arms as he began to circle the group. The two youngest were fidgeting even worse – Slade certainly circled like a frightening predator, like one of those powerful beasts of the jungle. Cyborg’s expression never wavered as his head turned with the circling man. 

Then, Slade stopped and looked at Dick. 

“This way I can ascertain what each of you need to work on. You’ll be last – you always train with me. Afterwards, we can do some group training.” The man glanced over the group. “Sound acceptable to you?” 

There were consenting murmurs to this, with one enthusiastic one from Starfire. With a smirk, Slade gave the entire group a smug expression. 

“So, who wants to go first?” 

Before any of the others could speak, Cyborg stepped forward; his dark air still flowing through his features. 

“Me,” said Cyborg, his tone even; yet there was heavy suggestiveness throughout it. Slade merely raised his eyebrow, inclining his head to the side in acknowledgement. Dick could fully tell that his older friend was itching for a fight with his father. He sighed slightly. 

Well, maybe it was for the best. Cyborg would see just how much Slade had changed through this, hopefully. 

“All right, then!” said Dick, trying to sound excited and not the actual nervousness that was threatening to burst through his chest. “The rest of us will wait our turn.” 

As the other Titans walked away to an upper section of rocks – one that was a small cliff face perfect for resting and dangling legs off of – Dick reached out and touched Slade by the arm. The man glanced back at him, as Cyborg walked away in a different section of rocky boulders. 

“Dad, please try to be nice. Cy’s not exactly… pleased with you here,” whispered Dick. 

“Really?” drawled Slade, giving Dick a light smirk. “I never noticed at all.” 

With one last ruffle of Dick’s hair – which was growing messier and messier by now – the man walked off after Cyborg. 

Worry pressed against Dick’s heart as he smoothed down his hair; not even the fading warmth that he had felt from his father giving him comfort. The section where Cyborg was choosing to train would shield much of the fight from the other Titans. Dick would see little of what went on between the two of them. He knew that the older teen was doing this for a reason, but it still unsettled Dick. He slowly walked back to the others. Raven was taking the time to mediate as Starfire and Beast Boy chattered happily with Terra. 

Dick plopped back against the flat surface of the rocks and gazed at the receding backs of Cyborg and Slade. He swallowed once, his eyes softening as the two of them disappeared from view. The excitable voices of his friends and the gentle murmurs from Raven as she mediated melded together inside Dick’s mind; his worry and thoughts drowning out the ambiance. 

He truly hoped nothing bad would happen. 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 10:45 am.**  

“I must say that I am quite curious to the reason of why you chose a location that is out of sight from your friends,” commented Slade, his tone light as he followed the teen into an area that was surrounded by tall boulders. He could hear the gentle crash that signaled the ocean waves were currently licking against the nearby rocky edge of the island. 

The teen didn’t answer him right away. The furious attitude that Slade was getting from this boy was extremely irritating. It amazed him that children these days were so disrespectful to their elders and Slade hoped for Dick’s sake that he never showed this attitude to an adult. The boy would _not_ like the correction Slade would give him. 

Granted, Slade had a pretty good idea as to _why_ the teen was giving him such a strong cold shoulder, even though he was somehow surprised by it. In some ways, he couldn’t blame the lad. But Dick had said when he returned to the Tower for the first time in months that everything was well. Was this just not the case? Had Cyborg been holding the bitter feelings inside to avoid upsetting Dick? 

It was possible. 

Finally, the teen stopped and turned around. Slade casually leaned against a particularly large boulder and folded his arms with an air of indifference. Cyborg cracked his neck in a show of power; flexing his arms and hands as he glared at him. 

Slade wasn’t impressed. 

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for quite a while now, Slade,” said Cyborg, his voice snarling as a confident and dark smile filled his expression. 

“Oh?” replied Slade lightly. “And what moment is that?” 

“The moment that I kick your sorry butt and make you pay for what you did!” 

Slade couldn’t stop the low chuckle that escaped his mouth at that statement. _Good grief_ , this teen thought highly of himself. Slade couldn’t believe the audacity of the brat. He watched the expression darken on that face as he continued to chuckle. He let the light mirth flow into deeper sounds; shaking his head at the mistaken teen. 

Of course, it was obvious that Cyborg found this insulting. 

“Is that right?” drawled Slade, pushing off from the boulder wall. He slowly advanced towards the teen, who stiffened into a stance, those mismatched eyes darkened further. Slade merely began to circle the teen – in turn, Cyborg began to do the same. 

“Yeah, that’s right,” hissed Cyborg. He bolted forward and began to attack. 

It was impossibly easy for Slade to see through the teen’s attacks. He could also feel the hatred that Cyborg had for him. Slade felt like sighing and turning his back. It was a waste of energy training this teen. Unlike before, when Slade was bound and determined to have Dick as his apprentice, there was nothing driving Slade to train this brat. 

It was obvious that he didn’t want to learn from him. Why put in the effort? 

But Slade knew that a blue eyed young man was waiting for him. That gentle boy, with a light far more brilliant than the sun itself glimmering inside his eyes, would be waiting and hoping to hear what training had been accomplished – and what further progress could be made. 

Dick was trusting Slade to be a teacher, whether or not any of his friends wanted it. 

And somehow, disappointing that boy was something Slade didn’t want to do. 

“You have all power, but no technique,” began Slade, easily falling into his instruction mode as he blocked each of Cyborg’s attacks. A heavy kick came his way and he caught it. Slade was impressed with the sheer power behind it, something he knew that Dick would never possess. Cyborg was a few inches shorter than Slade; however, the teen was bulkier due to his electronic body. Slade twisted the leg, flipping the teen, so that he collapsed to the ground onto his back. 

“You need to work on your technique,” said Slade, coming to stand over Cyborg at his side. “Simply throwing power punches isn’t going to bring down an enemy who is competent at dodging.” 

There was the sound of a cannon powering up, along with a low growl. An instant later, Slade leaned back in time to avoid getting his chin clipped by Cyborg’s powerful cannon blast, but he could still feel the heated intensity from it across his face. In the moment, Slade felt the ground rustle at his feet. He quickly bent back into a standard flip to avoid the teen’s sweeping leg. As Slade stood out of the flip, his view was met with a barreling teen who looked furious. 

Slade easily dodged each blow. Because of the anger that was driving Cyborg, his moves became even more sloppy, yet more powerful. Slade dodged to the right, not even lifting an arm. He dodged left, before ducking once. Just as another angry punch came to his left, Slade turned, grabbing the boy’s wrist. He pulled the teen back while applying pressure to Cyborg’s shoulder with his other hand; twisting the arm behind the teen. A second later, Cyborg’s face was pushed into the dirt, his knees bent and into the ground. 

“If I’ve told Dick once, I’ve told him four hundred and seventy-two times – _yes, I’ve kept count_ – _control_ your emotions,” said Slade, his voice turning sterner. “Attacking with your anger will only make you sloppy. Anger doesn’t make you more powerful. In a fight, you need to keep a level head. Getting heated in a fight will only bring about your demise.” 

Cyborg squirmed beneath Slade’s hold, growling underneath his breath. 

“Let me up,” snapped Cyborg. “This is a fight! I don’t have to listen to you. I’m taking you _down!_ ” 

“ _Really?_ ” began Slade, heavily amused. Didn’t this boy see he wasn’t landing a hit on him _and_ that he was becoming extremely intimate with the dirt on the ground? Nothing would’ve satisfied Slade more than to tease the boy about that fact. However, instead of antagonizing the brat, Slade tried getting under Cyborg’s nerves through a different tactic. “Isn’t Dick your leader? Didn’t he ask me to come, so that I might offer some training to the Teen Titans?” 

There was an angry huffing sound as the teen struggled in Slade’s hold, but it was to no avail. Finally, Cyborg resorted to growling under his breath. 

“Just because Rob trusts you, doesn’t mean that I do!” 

Slade snorted as the large teen continued to squirm beneath his hold; thoroughly unable to throw him off. 

“I don’t expect your trust in me. I just expect you to take in consideration of what I trying to teach you.” 

“Look, you might have Robin wrapped around your finger,” snapped Cyborg, pushing against the ground uselessly once more. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll get anywhere with me.” 

Slade’s eyebrow twitched. 

“What is _that_ supposed to mean?” 

“I know you did something to make Robin like you. There’s no way in his right mind would he _ever_ stand being in the same room with you.” 

Slade removed himself from the teen. He folded his arms as Cyborg got to his feet; the teen coughed some of the dirt from his mouth and brushed it off his metallic armor. 

“I’m not sure what you’re alluding to,” said Slade, trying to control the anger that was beginning to rise up over this brat. “But I’ve done nothing to _make_ – as you say – Dick like me. He reached that all on his own.” 

 _Shockingly_ , thought Slade wryly. _How that child can find something to like in me surely attests to some kind of unhinged mental capacity._  

Or truly, it attested to the purity of love that Dick possessed. 

“Look, I don’t know what, _exactly_ , you did to get Robin to this point – the point of nearly worshiping the ground you walk on – but I _know_ you did _something_.” 

“I haven’t done anything to that child!” snapped Slade, shaking his head at the stupidity this teen insisted on displaying. Suddenly, a dark light entered Cyborg’s human eye; his red robotic one glowing ominously. 

“Don’t kid yourself, Slade. We all know you beat him.” 

Slade stiffened, his eye narrowing as that single grey blue orb darkened with intense fury at the accusation. So that was it. So _that_ was where this brat was getting to – _how dare him!_ How _dare_ he say something like that. An uncomfortable feeling rose through Slade’s stomach and he had to exhale through his nose. 

“ _Excuse me?_ ” 

“I think I was pretty clear,” sneered Cyborg. Then, his expression turned even darker. “What is Robin to you, anyway?” 

“My _son_ ,” hissed Slade, exhaling once more. Cyborg scoffed. 

“Since when? Doesn’t it seem just a _little_ strange? Maybe even _convenient?_ ” 

“He became my son when he – _of his own free will!_ – signed those papers.” 

“Do _normal_ fathers kidnap their sons beforehand?” 

“Anything I say won’t be able to explain what happened between us,” said Slade, trying not to snap further at the boy. But the anger was just building. He couldn’t believe this boy. “You’ve already decided what you wish to believe. Nothing I say will change that.” 

“Robin admitted that you beat him,” accused Cyborg, his eyes narrowing. 

That uncomfortable feeling washed through Slade once more. He wanted to close his eye, but that showed weakness and if there was one thing he refused to show to this brat, it was weakness. He had to remain strong, no matter how _sick_ it literally made him feel at remembering that first month. 

“I did,” admitted Slade, his voice quiet. 

“Still do.” 

“ _No_ —” 

“I find it strange that Robin would actually like someone who physically abuses him,” continued Cyborg with contempt, perfectly overriding Slade’s objection. “What did you do, Stockholm Syndrome?” 

“How _dare_ you,” growled Slade. “How dare you assume anything. I will and _have_ admitted to being unacceptable in my actions against Dick during that first month I held him in captivity. _However_ , I have not laid one violent hand on him since then.” 

“ _Right_ ,” drawled Cyborg, laughing darkly; the scathing hostility ever prevalent in his tone. “Right, _now_ it’s under the guise of another term. What was it? _Oh, yeah_. _Spank_.” There was a pause for effect from the infuriating teen. “Don’t fool yourself, Slade. We all know you’re hurting him.” 

“The way I discipline my son is none of your concern,” snapped Slade. 

“ _He’s not your son!_ ” shouted Cyborg, slicing a hand through the air furiously. 

Of course, Dick was his son. That gentle boy didn’t need to be blood for Slade to feel the same love he felt for his biological children. No one could tell him otherwise. He had done more for a child not of his blood, than most parents did for their own. He had given up _everything_ for him. 

“I _adopted_ him,” said Slade, forcibly avoiding hissing at Cyborg. “I have _legal_ papers that say I am that boy’s father. I treat him like a son. He’s as good as a blood son. I don’t need you or anyone else telling me otherwise.” 

“You brainwashed him.” 

“ _How?_ ” demanded Slade, the incredulity flowing through his voice. “Just _how_ have I brainwashed him? For what purpose?” 

“I dunno what your angle is,” said Cyborg, shaking his head. “But I’ll figure it out. I know you must have some sort of plan with all this.” 

“Oh, _yes_ , of course, I have a plan,” drawled Slade derisively; his tone dropping to a dark, powerful one. It was taking all his self control not throttle the upstart. “There is no angle. You’ll not find one. Why would I be _here_ , training the Teen Titans? What purpose would that give me?” 

“You tell me. Or maybe you’re more simple than that. Do you get some kind of sick pleasure knowing that you brainwashed Robin?” demanded Cyborg, tilting his head slightly as he glared at Slade. There was an almost goading glint in his eyes. “That you have some kind of power over him? Do you _like_ hurting him, is that it?” 

Finally, Slade understood. It was becoming clearer and clearer, and Slade had to admit that he never imagined that this boy would have such cunning in him. The words were trying to bait him – and they almost did. Slade was about two seconds from wringing this boy’s part robotic neck. But that was what Cyborg wanted him to do, wasn’t it? This teen was just _waiting_ for him to make a wrong move. 

Slade took a deep calming breath. He was not going to let this upstart punk get the better of him. In all honesty, it really didn’t matter what Cyborg thought about him. It did matter for Dick’s sake, in some ways. But truly, Cyborg’s opinion on the subject wouldn’t change anything. He couldn’t revoke those adoption papers. He couldn’t stop the feelings that both Slade and Dick felt for one another. And he certainly couldn’t change the stunning young man that was Dick’s nature – meaning, a child of endless love and forgiveness. 

Slade knew he didn’t deserve such forgiveness. With each passing day, he felt more and more sickened by his actions during that first month. Yes, the boy had said he forgave him, but Dick deserved someone so much better than that as a father, as a role model. Yet, Dick clung to _him_ , Slade, to be his father. If that was what he wanted, then Slade wasn’t about to be the one to break his tender heart. He would stay by that child’s side until he became a man; he would stay by that man’s side until he aged with time. 

And even then, Slade would stay by his side – because Dick was his son. 

“I gave up _everything_ for that child,” whispered Slade, the emotion of his thoughts nearly choking his words. He continued more strongly, still in a low whisper, “Deathstroke is the most feared name in the world. _Everyone_ knows that name and what it means. I gave that up for _him_. I am only a father now. Nothing more and nothing less. I don’t have any power over that child beyond that of a father. If anything, it is Dick that processes a power over _me_. If my son wants me to help train his friends, then I will. Because _he_ requested it. He is my full time job now. Whatever that child needs, I want to give it to him. Because he deserves it.” 

Any training between them seemed to have been forgotten. Cyborg just stood there, staring at Slade with a widened expression. The anger that had filled his features was slowly fading away. Then, as that anger faded, a looked of puzzlement entered, as if Cyborg couldn’t figure Slade out. There was still a huge amount of friction between them, Slade could tell; but somehow, his words had softened a part of Cyborg’s heart. 

“How can I believe that?” asked Cyborg finally, after a moment of silence. “How can I _really_ believe that? It’s absurd that someone like you would feel that way for someone like Robin.” 

Absurd, indeed. A year ago, it would’ve been unimaginable to Slade. If Wintergreen had mentioned such a thing, he would’ve laughed in the old man’s face. But then again, a small, hidden part of his heart would’ve hoped it could come true. 

“Absurd, perhaps,” began Slade with an incline of his head. Then, a genuine smile spread through his features. “But not impossible. _Nothing_ is impossible.” 

Cyborg glanced away, his expression darkening into one of petulance. It was obvious that Cyborg didn’t want everything to be all right. For whatever reasons that were his own, it seemed as if it bothered him that Slade and Dick had reached such an amazing level of understanding. Slade took a step forward, but the teen didn’t look up or notice. It appeared as if he were deep in thought. 

Then, Slade placed a hand onto the teen’s shoulder, making him startle slightly. Cyborg glanced up at him, his eyes widening. For a moment, Slade thought he would shrug the gesture off, but was pleasantly surprised that he didn’t. 

“There is no way to convince you of the truth if you don’t want to believe it,” said Slade, his tone serious. “But I must request that whatever ill feelings you continue to harbor against me be between only you and myself. Do not bring Dick into the middle. It would only hurt his feelings and make him feel worse.” 

Slade removed his hand and pulled away, turning his back on the teen. 

“I think you’ve said all you wanted to, yes? Then, there’s no need to continue. Let’s go back.” 

There were no words of protest to that. It had been more than apparent that Cyborg had only been picking a fight. He hadn’t wanted to learn anything from him and Slade wasn’t about to waste his time any further. Perhaps, another day the boy would want to learn something. Slade could hear the teen following after him, proving that he didn’t want to continue the training. 

As they came back into sight of the others, Slade could see Dick sitting on a ledge of rock, his hands twisting nervously in his lap. The boy glanced at the others as they spoke and chattered happily, smiling at them every now and then; but there was still a worried expression flooding over his young features. Then, his bright blue eyes snapped onto Slade, the worry coming to a climax in his face. 

Dick leapt off the ledge and ran to meet them a few feet in front of the others. He glanced between Slade and Cyborg, who had come to stand next to Slade with a somehow bored expression. If he had been wearing normal pants, Slade would’ve sworn the teen would’ve dug his hands into his pockets. 

“Well?” asked Dick, his anxiousness overflowing in his tone. His glance flicked between them once more. “How’d it go?” 

Slade’s expression soften. 

“Just fine. Cyborg is an excellent fighter. He just needs to work on some technique,” said Slade. “I’m sure with my supervision, you’ll be able to work out a good schedule for him.” 

Dick grinned happily, the anxious worry vanishing from his face. He let out an excited whoop, before turning back to the others. 

“All right! Who’s next?” asked Dick, placing his hands onto his hips as he grinned at the others. The group started to chatter loudly, trying to decide who would go next. 

“Just so you know, I still don’t trust you,” said Cyborg, his voice low so that only Slade could hear him. “I’m still keeping an eye on you.” 

Slade glanced over at the older teen, a light smirk tugging at his mouth. 

“Good to know my son has such attentive friends.” 

Cyborg looked started by this. Slade merely gave him an incline of the head as he stepped forward. The other teens were having difficulty deciding who was next. There was a gentle moment when Dick’s gaze glanced over at Cyborg. When they connected, Dick gave the older teen the brightest smile. Slade held back the smile that wanted to break free at the disconcerted expression that Cyborg produced. 

Dick was continually proving one important fact: he was a very special child. 

“Hey, Terra, how about you go next, okay?” asked Dick, giving her an encouraging smile. “You can choose where you want to train, all right?” 

The young blonde girl looked positively frightened by this thought, but she nodded silently in agreement. Thus, it began once again, but luckily Slade knew that this girl wouldn’t fight with him. He followed her as she walked a small distance from the group. She chose a location that was in sight of the group. Slade was appreciative of this fact. He preferred to train each child in sight of the group – that way, the observers learned as well. 

When they stopped, Terra looked up at him nervously. 

“W–what do I do, Mr. Wilson?” 

Slade snorted. 

“Well, to begin with, you may call me Slade or sir. Then, as for this training exercise, simply come at me. I’ll decide what to do from there.” 

“J–just attack you, sir?” 

“Yes, that’s the general idea,” said Slade with an amused nod. “Without using your powers for now. I want to see how you do in simple hand to hand combat.” 

The girl nodded, looking as nervous as ever. She got into a stance – a very weak one, Slade noticed – and charged at him. 

Within thirty seconds, it became quite apparent that this girl knew little to nothing about simple hand to hand combat. She needed the basics immediately before she actually injured herself with her poor form. 

“Your posture is weak,” began Slade, moving through Terra’s attack to correct her stance. She swung her leg to kick him, but he easily blocked it; grabbing it in his hand. “The swing of your kick is wrong. You’ll injure yourself if you keep this up.” 

He pulled her leg upward, causing her to squeak in surprise. Her hips twisted, as did her footing on the ground. 

“Hold this position; don’t lock your knee,” said Slade, tapping the back of her knee. He released his hold on her foot. She groaned slightly, her leg shaking in the air without the strength to hold it there. One hand grabbed her shoulder and forced it straight, his other hand tapping against her back. “Straighten your back, keep your shoulders back.” 

A few minutes later, Terra lay sprawled onto the ground, breathing heavily. Her instruction had been far different than what Slade normally gave to Dick. Slade had to admit, the girl had potential – nothing on par with Dick, of course, but she certainly had something going for her. With some decent training, she would be quite proficient and could become a worthy hero or a dangerous foe. 

Which was why he didn’t trust her. 

Slade couldn’t understand what Dick saw in this girl. What Slade saw was an insecure teenager. She literally emanated this out to the entire world. The other Titans felt like teens, yes, but they each had a level of self confidence that this girl just didn’t have. It seemed that she could easily be swayed by other voices. She was young and impressionable – both dangerous elements in a wandering teen with the power that she had. 

On top of it all, she couldn’t control her powers. It was blatant as a blinking red traffic light. That, of course, merely added another level of insecurity to the girl. The question that bore inside Slade’s mind was, what did Dick see that he didn’t see? Slade was good at reading people and he just couldn’t see this good heart that Dick had talked about. 

Could Dick read people’s hearts better than Slade could? 

“You did good,” said Slade, standing over her. “You have a lot to work on, of course. You’re a beginner, but with the proper training, you can become proficient.” 

Sky blue eyes looked up at him with mild wonder. Slade tried not to snort at that. It was almost surreal what was currently happening. A year ago, the thought of training a bunch of teens would’ve made Slade leave the country in a deep refusal – one child was enough, thank you very much. 

Well, two down, only four more to go. Wasn’t _that_ exciting? 

Oh, _yes_ , sarcasm was Slade’s friend – _best friend_ , even. 

It was yet another few minutes later that it was decided Beast Boy would be next. Thus, that was how Slade was standing in front of the very green child – in more ways than one – and was studying what to do. They were a further distance than Terra had decided to train, but closer than Cyborg’s choice. Slade continued to look down at the boy. Beast Boy looked as he wanted to say something, but was obviously far too nervous to speak up. 

Finally, he seemed to work up the courage to do so, but his voice came out soft and higher than normal.

“Uh… Mr. Slade, sir?” 

Well, this was a pleasant change, if not a little overboard. Slade gave a low chuckle. 

“You may call me Slade or sir.” 

How this impossibly green child could sport a pinkish hue of blush across his green cheeks was beyond Slade. But somehow, Beast Boy managed it with perfect precision. 

“Y–yes, sir,” squeaked Beast Boy, fidgeting and looking extremely nervous. His lower lip was currently doing that similar pout which sometimes adorned Dick’s lips when he wanted something or was in trouble. 

Slade felt a pang of pity for the child. He _did_ look very young – and Slade knew he was only thirteen – not to mention, he was even smaller than Dick. And that was saying a lot. The confrontation with Cyborg had made Slade forget a very important fact: these heroes and heroines were just _children_. They were children without parental influence as well. 

And no matter how much they tried to endure things on their own, they were truly missing out on having a steady parent in their lives. Slade was aware of Cyborg’s circumstances, as well as Beast Boy’s old life. He didn’t, however, know much about Starfire or Raven – Slade couldn’t find information on the alien girl and for some reason, there was simply _nothing_ on Raven. From what Slade could tell, each child had their own difficult home life or broken family. 

It was suddenly, at that very moment, that Slade was even more overcome with the knowledge of just how young these kids were. The young changeling that stood before him was certainly dwarfed in size. Those green cheeks still possessed that childlike baby fat. Bright green eyes were large with the same special innocence that could only belong to a child. 

At that moment, Slade could see the adult respect inside those green eyes. It was an automatic response there. It was almost unnerving, seeing as Cyborg had had nothing but contempt for Slade. Considering who he was, it was somehow surprising that the boy was showing this level of respect. The child was still nervous around him, but there was something unique to the situation. 

Somehow, Slade found himself kneeling down in front of the boy. The boy’s height, even with Slade on his knees, was barely a few inches higher. Beast Boy’s green eyes widened as he looked down at him. Slade lifted a hand and rested it against the boy’s upper arm, gently squeezing the flesh there. 

“You don’t have to be nervous,” said Slade, his voice low and quiet as he spoke. The boy’s abnormally long, pointed ears flicked slightly. “This is just a training exercise.” 

There was a gentle moment of silence as the boy looked down at Slade. His eyes were carefully studying him, as if the boy wasn’t quite sure what to make of Slade. Then, finally, the boy spoke, his voice filled with a light awe. 

“Robin said you had changed,” whispered Beast Boy. “It’s really true, isn’t it?” 

Nothing could’ve surprised Slade more at that moment. This boy was truly interesting. The boy was right, of course. Slade _had_ changed; grown far more than he could’ve envisioned and imagined. Here he was in front of this thirteen year old boy – a hero and a member of the Teen Titans – and Slade was preparing to teach and train him. 

It was nothing short of the impossible. 

Slade let a light smile lift his lips before he gave the boy a pat on the arm. He stood up and found his hand dropping down onto the boy’s dark green hair; ruffling the head of hair there with softness that he had developed with Dick. 

“Standing before you and about to go through a simple training exercise would not have been possible otherwise.” 

To say this very green child was exceedingly shocked and blushing the brightest red would’ve been a sad understatement. 

It was fascinating that this child could change into so many colors. As Slade pulled back from the boy, he could see a pleasant expression across his features, as if Beast Boy were becoming comfortable with him. Slade had always known he’d conquer the Teen Titans. He just _never_ imagined it’d be in such a fashion as this. 

Such a strange creature, destiny was. 

“Slade, can I ask you a question?” asked Beast Boy, his pointed ears perked upwards as a shade of pink blushed over them – matching the fading shade on his cheeks. 

Somehow, Slade wondered if any of these children were actually interested in training or were more interested in twenty questions – featuring Slade Wilson, former Deathstroke the Terminator and currently stay at home father. 

“Of course,” said Slade, a smirk beginning to lift his face. “Although, you just did. I’ll you another chance, however.” 

Beast Boy seemed amused by this and it lightened his mood slightly. His green eyes lifted upward and studied Slade for a minute. Then, the boy spoke up, saying the one thing Slade hadn’t been thinking would come from this child – although, honestly, he shouldn’t have been surprised. 

“Robin says that you, uh… spank him when he’s bad,” said Beast Boy, slowly speaking as if he were unsure of himself. 

Slade’s eyebrows bolted upward into his hair line at this statement, surprised that Dick was comfortable with talking about his misdemeanors and the discipline which followed such things. Grant surely hadn’t been, barking at any of his siblings who came near him after an incident of correction. Joey had been embarrassed that he got in trouble for anything, hating the fact that he had made a mistake. Finally, Rose was moody for about ten minutes before her attention span switched to the next topic, all previous scolding and teaching evaporated in her mind – she’d been young, after all. 

Then, Beast Boy got stronger with his words. “But you don’t hit him for every bad thing, right? You’re fair with him, _right?_ ” 

The earnest desperation was fully heard through the young boy’s voice. He was looking up at Slade with almost pleading eyes. It was then that Slade was thankful. Dick truly did have good friends. Each were worried for him in their own way, it seemed. Cyborg obviously had multiple issues about certain things, but it appeared that Beast Boy was a little more trusting. The boy sensed Dick’s feelings, but he was also worried about him. 

“First of all, Dick is never _bad_ ,” began Slade, his tone soft. “He might make wrong choices – as we all do – and as a father, it’s my job to set him straight; _and_ teach him the things that he should do. That is what being a parent means. I don’t _hit_ him. I punish him when the situation calls for it. Better to have a child’s consequence to deter him now, than have an adult’s consequence that cannot be avoided.” 

Beast Boy frowned slightly, his facial features scrunching up in confusion. His head tilted to the side. 

“Do you come with subtitles, sir?” 

Slade let out such an uncontrollable snort that he had to cover it up with a small choking sound; his hand covering over his mouth as he coughed his chortles. _That_ was thoroughly amusing – beyond hilarious, actually. Slade could barely contain himself at the thought. Luckily, the boy hadn’t been able to tell that Slade was actually _laughing_ at him. He looked a little worried about Slade’s near conniption fit. 

Finally, Slade was able to control himself. He let a smirk lift his mouth. 

“I’m fair with him. You don’t have to worry.” 

“Oh… Why didn’t you say so?” 

“I did.” 

“Oh…” There was another tilt of the head. “Are you sure?” 

Well, give the lad some time and there was no doubt that he’d grow into his mind. He had the look of intelligence – it was just buried… underneath _something_. 

 _Mmm_ … 

Slade decided right at that moment to double check that Wintergreen didn’t put too much tofu into their diet. He was also going to _greatly_ screen the amount of time that Dick spent with video games. Oh, yes. He’d heard the tales of video game wars at the Tower. Limiting it was becoming a necessity – almost a desperate need. 

In the next fifteen minutes, Slade tried to instruct the boy. But he quickly found out that Beast Boy was only effective in his animal forms and didn’t really know much about hand to hand combat. In fact, much of his form was _worse_ than Terra’s – he needed more than just the basics. 

The boy would never become an expert in martial arts and it became clear to Slade that it would be better to train him to become better in his offensive animal forms. But he’d certainly do well with the knowledge. Slade supposed he did something right with the boy, because he seemed happy enough as they walked back to the group once Slade deemed them finished. 

Dick greeted them with his standard delightful smile. All this nonsense with these kids was worth that smile alone. There wasn’t much Slade could do for Dick, he felt. So, anything that brought a smile on his face was something to be pursued. 

No matter how much Slade wanted to pull out the fur on his chin in exasperation. 

It was decided – soon after, with a bit of heated discussion which finally relented to the girl’s exasperation – that Raven would go next. Slade had to wonder if the girl had her own question to ask just like the two boys. As Raven chose a place to train – somewhat nearby to the group, but not in hearing shot – Slade had to assume that this was the case. 

Once they stopped, Slade didn’t even give the girl a chance to pop him ‘the question’ – whatever it might’ve been. 

“Let me guess,” started Slade, putting up a hand before the girl could open her mouth. “You have something you want to say to me or ask me, am I correct?” 

There was a gentle light of amusement that glimmered in the girl’s eyes. 

“I suppose that means Cyborg and Beast Boy talked with you.” 

“You could say that,” smirked Slade with a single nod. “And if you did, it’d be an understatement.” 

Raven’s lips thinned as the amusement continued to dance in her eyes. She glanced away for a minute, before Slade let out a long sigh. 

“I believe none of you are actually interested in doing any training as you are in interrogating me.” 

“No,” said Raven, shaking her head once. “I do have a question, but I don’t wish to interrogate you. I understand that you and Robin came to an agreement of sorts – one which none of us can fully comprehend, but I can accept that stranger things have happened before.” 

There was a moment of silence as Slade studied her. The girls were certainly more mature than the boys – there was no doubt about that. They seemed to bear a wisdom beyond their years – although, Slade hadn’t spoken with Starfire yet. There was something childlike about the alien girl, but there was also a deep wisdom. Raven seemed to possess this as well; minus the childlike nature, however. 

“But… that is part of my question,” whispered Raven, as she continued. “You are not related to Robin by blood and yet… the two of you have reached a bond that’s even closer than blood. How is that even possible? Is not the essence of a father based on the bond of blood?”

These children never ceased to amaze and amuse Slade. It seemed that this had become more than just a simple training session. Each child seemed to have their own questions and feelings. Cyborg rejected Slade completely and was angry over Dick’s past treatment; Beast Boy had developed some uneasy trust, but still remained worried about his friend’s current treatment; while Raven had come to acceptance, but couldn’t understand how it came about. Slade couldn’t imagine what Starfire’s reaction would be to this, but so far she had been the most accepting of them all. 

These moments with the Titans were opening Slade’s eyes to just how each child was truly amazing and unique in their own way. He couldn’t fault any of them for their feelings. Out of all them, Cyborg’s reaction to the whole thing was more of how Slade would react if he were in the same situation. The others were more unusual, but also special because of their trust in Dick. Because Dick _said_ everything was all right, it seemed that the younger three of the Titans were inclined to believe and trust what he said. 

Truly remarkable children. 

“I was a father once before,” said Slade, his tone soft as he spoke. “Did Dick mention that ever?” When the girl nodded, Slade smiled sadly. “I’m not sure what he said, but the short version of the story is it was my fault that everything failed with my first family. I can’t tell you that blood isn’t important, because it is; but I can tell you that what I feel towards Dick is no less than what I felt with the children that came from my blood.” 

Slade put a hand to his heart and tapped his chest. 

“True family resides here. Blood, color, race doesn’t matter,” whispered Slade. His countenance softened even more. “Dick was the one who showed me that.” 

Raven’s normally expressionless face – that rivaled even Slade’s own impassiveness – filled with an intense amount of emotion. Her head ducked slightly, her dark hair falling to hide her features. She wasn’t wearing her hood and it felt as if she wished she could be hidden beneath its fabric. 

“In some ways,” began Slade, his tone becoming louder. He politely ignored her growing emotions. “Your little group of friends have a family bond. I know from personal experience that best friends can become more than just a friend, but can become an irreplaceable family member.” 

That much was true. Wintergreen had grown to become than just a best friend. He was _family_. There was no blood relation, yet Slade relied greatly on his older friend. In fact, Wintergreen had been the most loyal being inside Slade’s entire life. When the one that Slade had felt had been his soul mate left him, Wintergreen had stayed. The old man had accepted him, all his good qualities and all his bad qualities. 

Just like Dick had done. 

That boy was someone special and a great blessing – there was no doubt about it. Slade couldn’t have imagined his life like this before. It had been laughable. Who’d give up the life of an exciting occupation as a mercenary to be a father? Who would think that normal? Normal, in the very least, of giving up a career for a child – the mainstream consensus rejected such a thing. 

But after experiencing both sides, Slade couldn’t find anything more fulfilling. 

“Robin has changed you.” 

The whispered voice made a statement and not a question. Slade nodded. 

“For the better.” 

“It shows,” said Raven, the light in her eyes softening. 

Well, when Slade went home, he was going to have some cake. Preferably chocolate and preferably the _entire_ box. He deserved it after today – after all this emotional rollercoaster nonsense. Unfortunately, he’d probably have no time consume said cake, since he was planning on lecturing Dick for an undecided amount of time. Giving his identity to an unknown _and suspicious_ girl… _Honestly_ , what was that foolish boy thinking? 

Sadly, Slade had no more time to think of his impending lecture, because he still had three more kids to train with – one of which, included his own kid. 

The time he spent with Raven was longer than the others. He discovered that she was somewhat proficient at simple hand to hand combat, but she tended to use her powers more often than not – therefore, missing the opportunities to train those skills further. The key with Raven was to discover the balance from using her magic and embedding it into combat techniques. 

Needless to say, Slade had a lot of thinking to do if he wanted to help Dick with his training schedule of the Titans. 

By the end, Slade was mentally getting tired dealing with these children – although, Raven wasn’t as tasking as the others. His sarcastic brain kept him focused on that chocolate cake waiting for him as the two of them reached the group once more. All that was left for Slade’s one on one training was Starfire and Dick. 

The homestretch, you could say.

“Wait, before we start,” began Slade, after he and Starfire had taken a distance away from the others. He was honestly growing tired of these children and their questions. Best to get it out at the beginning. “Do you have something to ask me?” 

Starfire stopped her flight, her feet touching the ground fully. The distance from the others was further than Beast Boy’s distance, but closer than Cyborg’s out of sight area. Her monochromatic eyes blinked innocently. She tilted her head to the side, giving Slade a strong impression of curious kitten. 

 _Not another one…_  

“No… Should I?” 

Slade let out a tired chuckle. 

“No, but your other friends seemed to have had them for me,” said Slade, swiping a hand over his face to rest it over the patch of fur on his chin. “I just expected that you also had issues with me adopting Dick.” 

The curious, innocent nature that had filled her exotic features slowly faded away. In its place, there was a strong young woman. The softness emanated from her eyes. She gave him the kindest smile, a facial reaction rarely given to Slade, if he were honest with himself. 

“Dick is happy,” whispered Starfire, her voice gentle, yet it held such strength. “What more is there for me to question?” 

 _Yet again_ , Slade found himself amazed with this girl. She was unique, with a strength of her own. He knew she had physical strength, being a Tamaran, but somehow she had a large amount of strength in her heart. She was a good girl. Out of all the Titans, Starfire had accepted everything without fail, seeming to have come to an understanding that even Slade and Dick hadn’t realized – this much was more than apparent in the way she looked at Slade. 

What foresight did this child have? 

Of course, if Slade had had any foresight at all, he would’ve seen just how his adopted son acted around Starfire – perhaps attesting to some future that couldn’t have been dreamed possible before. But there was grand future for that family, one where Slade’s immortality would never mean being alone. Oh, yes, Slade would _never_ be alone, no matter how much he desired it. 

But, of course, this was in the far distance in the span of time. 

“You…” Slade trailed off, shaking his head slightly. “You are a remarkable girl.” 

Oh, the girl blushed. Now _that_ Slade could understand. Holding back the smirk that wished to break free, he fell back into a fighting stance. 

“All right, I want you to only use your hand to hand combat knowledge. No flight, no starbolts, no glowing eyes, and do try to keep your inhuman strength down a few notches,” said Slade, a drawl beginning to lift his tone. “I’m afraid you probably could break my bones if you landed a decent hit on me and I rather not go through the three minutes of agony of the bones bending.” 

Thus, that was how Slade learned just how formidable young Starfire was in battle. 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 12:31 pm.**  

Dick was waiting again. His nerves were pretty much shot after the few hours of waiting. He’d been so worried that there’d be a big fight between Cyborg and his father, but somehow, they had come back quickly without seeming to have been in one. 

But then again, Dick hadn’t been able to see the training at all. Slade was good at hiding things. So was Cyborg. A large part of himself wanted to confront both Slade and Cyborg to see what had happened between them. 

However, Dick knew that was just opening Pandora’s Box. He didn’t want trouble. He couldn’t bear it if they had really fought with each other. He hated that kind of confrontation. The gentleness inside of Dick’s heart was too tender for that kind of stuff – and he would spend too much time brooding and worrying over it. He also felt such hostility was a waste of time. Better to try to get along than burn effort in fighting with one another. 

He figured he didn’t have to worry too much about the others. Terra, Beast Boy, and Raven all seemed fine after each of their sessions. He knew Starfire would be fine. She was unique like that. But… That still didn’t mean he wasn’t a ball of nerves sitting on the ledge of rock there. He barely noticed when Terra came to his side and nudged him. Luckily, he didn’t end up being startled _too_ much. 

“So, I’ve got a question for you, uh… Dick,” said Terra, hesitating over his name. “How come your father’s last name is Wilson and yours is Grayson?” 

Now this was something Dick could handle. 

“Slade is my adoptive father,” said Dick with a smile. “I just haven’t taken his name. I’m actually still trying to figure that out.” 

“Oh, I didn’t realize…” 

“No, it’s all right. It’s something to notice.” 

“You must’ve have known him a long time to be able to call him _Dad_ ,” said Terra, her voice going quiet. 

“Nope,” said Dick, trying to repress a grin. “I’ve known him… well, you could say for awhile now, but I’ve only been his son for two months.” 

“ _Two months?!_ ” cried Terra, the shock bursting from her voice. “But how could you call him _Dad_ all of the sudden like that. Isn’t that…” 

She trailed off, beginning to blush at some term she had been about to use, no doubt. Dick chuckled. 

“A little weird?” supplied Dick. Terra hesitated, before she gave him a small nod. He shrugged and let a soft smile lift his lips. “John Grayson is Papa and Slade Wilson is Dad; both men my fathers. I feel that Slade deserves the respect as my father. In the end, he just _feels_ like _Dad_. He’s different from Papa.” Dick paused for a moment, before he looked directly inside Terra’s sky blue eyes. He gave her a special smile. “Besides, Papa isn’t here any more and I need someone to rely on. I’m sure Papa is happy that I found someone who will look after me.” 

Terra looked taken aback by this gentle statement. There was silence between them. It was never broken, until Starfire came back to the group with Slade following after her. Dick grinned happily and ran up to meet them. Beast Boy came to Terra’s side, hearing the conversation between them. He could see the pure happiness that Dick greeted Slade with – happiness that went beyond what even Starfire seemed capable of. However, interestingly enough, Starfire greeted Dick with the same enthusiasm. 

“I never realized that Robin could be so…” began Terra in a whisper, trailing off as she watched father and son interact. It was almost like a delighted puppy beaming up at an older dog – it was just the playful way that Dick smiled, as was the contented, amused expression that filled Slade’s face as he humored the boy. There were gentle giggles and laughter as he spoke with Slade and Starfire. 

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” whispered Beast Boy, taking up the opportunity to speak with Terra. “You never imagined that such happy, carefree person lived inside Robin. We didn’t either, until he came back.” 

“Came back?” asked Terra, looking confused. 

Beast Boy tucked in his lower lip. Mmm, he probably shouldn’t mention this, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was actually speaking complete sentences with Terra! Besides, it wasn’t like this was a secret between the Titans. 

“Well, actually, Slade’s an ex-criminal who kidnapped Robin last September,” said Beast Boy, keeping his voice low, so no one heard him speaking – _just in case_. Terra’s eyes widened to an intense amount, her thin eyebrows popping into her hair line. “But somehow, everything worked out and everything is fine. I don’t know how it happened, but something changed them – Slade included. Now they’re father and son, I guess.” 

Terra seemed at a loss for words. “How is that even…” 

“Rob stays at the Tower three nights out of the week or so,” continued Beast Boy. “It’s like everything has gone back to normal and I think it’s great.” Beast Boy shrugged. “It’s still a little strange, though.” 

“But… Why would Slade kidnap Robin?” asked Terra, finally articulating her voice; glancing over at Slade with a small amount of uncertain fear. 

“Oh, that’s because Slade’s—” 

“Beast Boy, I think it is best that you remain quiet now,” interrupted Starfire in her kind voice. Beast Boy jumped from her sudden appearance, thoroughly not expecting her. Somehow, there was something in her tone that made it clear that she wasn’t going to let Beast Boy keep talking like he’d been doing so. Beast Boy’s ears drooped slightly, his cheeks blushing furiously, but he nodded. He slinked away quietly, coming to Cyborg’s side while glancing at Starfire occasionally. 

Almost instantly, Terra confronted Starfire. 

“How can Dick even bear to be around that guy after being kidnapped by him?” demanded Terra, her voice rising hotly. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! He must be crazy or been brainwashed or–or–or _something_. That isn’t normal!” 

Starfire didn’t say anything in response at first. She watched her friend walk a small distance away from the group with his father. She knew he had certainly become stronger during his seven month absence. But it was more than that. His heart had become stronger. He was different than the Robin she had known. Robin had been a boy of mystery. He had been an excellent leader. He had been driven in his work, many times to detriment. He had been a good friend, a strong friend. But Starfire had always felt a distance from that boy, as if there had been a barrier around his heart. 

But Dick… 

Dick was so different. He was softer, kinder even. He was a sensitive spirit, avoiding conflict between their friends when possible; and when called upon, a mediator. He had innocence, a light in his eyes that seemed to flow through every part of his soul. He was the same, yet not the same as that old boy who had worn the mask – that boy called Robin. Starfire had always felt drawn to Robin, but ever since he had come back, ever since he had come back as Dick, she had come to feel something a little more. 

There was something special about Dick, something that called her heart to be closer to his – something that had been hidden by the mask. 

She cared deeply for the gentle, yet powerful boy that was Dick. 

A bright smile dominated Dick’s face as prepared himself into a stance. A moment passed, as father and son stared each other down – and then, suddenly, the fight began. 

It was unlike anything Starfire had ever seen. Instantly, she knew that Slade was a powerful fighter, one that she’d had trouble holding her own against. The man’s movements were perfect and graceful, yet there was such power in every single one of them. Not a moment was wasted as he moved against his opponent. The man truly was someone to learn from – that much she had discovered. 

What was stunning was the fact that Dick could hold his own against this man. 

It was obvious that he had spent much time training against him. He knew the man’s movements. The speed of the spar was almost inhuman. Blow after blow was thrown and Dick’s nimble body threw curves as he jumped back, utilizing all of his acrobat skills. 

Once again, there was an unmistakable sign of pure joy on his face. He was just so _happy_. Sparring with this man seemed as if it were the greatest thing in the universe. Starfire would’ve been confused by this if Dick hadn’t explained some of his feelings. It was true, he viewed this man as a K’Norfka. Even more than that, he viewed this man as his sire, even though they weren’t related by blood – no, they were now related through the heart. 

“Seven months,” whispered Starfire as she continued to watch the spar. “This is how long Dick’s absence was from us. Because of his absence, we had to learn to stand without him. We, as a team, greatly relied on Robin’s commands and leadership – and we never truly realized this until he was gone. Therefore, we had to become strong without him. Because he was not there.” 

Starfire tore her gaze from the spar and placed it onto Terra, who was looking at her with struggling sky blue eyes. 

“He, too, has become stronger. However, this is not the thing which convinced me that everything is well.” 

Starfire pointed out to the spar, her finger directly on Dick’s movements. 

“Can you not see it? Do you see that smile? Robin _never_ smiled like that before the experience. But Dick smiles like that every day. He is joyful about everything now. Such happiness I never saw in Robin. This is what convinced me everything was well – and that Slade was good. Because it is not possible, that if Slade were not good, that he could have brought such a smile to Dick’s face.” 

Starfire gave Terra a smile of her own. 

“This much I know.” 

Terra looked over at Dick, a serious expression across her features. She didn’t say anything in answer to Starfire. Silence fell over the two girls; both of them watching the elaborate fight that played out between Dick and Slade. It was soon – too soon, in Starfire’s opinion – that their fight ended. She smiled as they walked back to the group together, with Slade ruffling the raven black head of hair. 

“Well, what do you think?” asked Dick, his chest breathing deeply from the intense workout; glancing around the group before settling his gaze onto Slade. “Who do you think did the best, Dad?” 

Slade raised an eyebrow at the boy. _Who did the best?_ That was asking for trouble, now wasn’t it? Cyborg barely did any training. Beast Boy and Terra did pretty good, but that was only the _effort_ they actually put into it. Raven did well, too, but she was still lacking in many areas. All of them, except Terra and Starfire, had only taken the opportunity to talk with Slade. Of course, Dick did exceptional as usual, but that was playing favorites. 

That left only one person who didn’t irritate Slade whatsoever. 

“Starfire.” 

Dick chuckled, while the rest of the Titans – even Raven – groaned. Beast Boy slapped his hand to his forehead and plopped down onto the ground onto his back. He moaned elaborately as Starfire smiled brightly, looking delighted. 

“Awe, man. Did you have to pick Starfire?” complained Beast Boy. 

“She did the best,” replied Slade, honestly not caring. “Are you suggesting that I don’t give her the dues she deserves.” 

“`Course not! But she’ll pick a horrible movie tonight!” cried Beast Boy, flailing in the dirt. Slade looked over at Dick for an explanation. The boy shrugged, grinning slightly. 

“Star’s preferred entertainment usually has something to do with the microscopic world of fungus.” 

Slade’s eyebrows popped into his hairline. He glanced over at the alien girl, who was still smiling. It was official, that child needed to get out more and see new things. As the group continued to chatter heatedly and excitedly, Slade shook his head. These teens had way too much energy. Time to burn it. Slade smirked, rolling his neck and cracking it. 

“All right, children, how about putting those instructions to the test, hm?” Slade withdrew his bō-staff from his pocket, expanding it with a single _click_ , and slipped into a fighting stance. “All of you come at me with everything you’ve got.” 

Beast Boy popped up from his lying on the ground, folding his legs in front of his body as he looked up at the man in shock. 

“But we’ll hurt you! You won’t survive _all_ of us.” 

“I must agree,” nodded Starfire, looking worried. “I fear we might injure you.” 

There was a unified snort from Slade and Dick. 

“You have a pretty high opinion of your strength,” drawled Slade, his smirk widening further. 

“You really have _no_ idea what you’re getting into,” said Dick a second later, shaking his head. The other Titans continued to look uneasy. Slade almost chuckled at the arrogance these children had. This was going to be _highly_ amusing. 

“I’ll make a prediction, shall I?” said Slade, his smirk widening as the five teens looked between each nervously – Dick merely looked amused with it all. Slade strengthened his stance, preparing for the fight. “I won’t even break out into a sweat.” 

ooOOOOOoo

 


	7. Tough Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, after this, updates will be on Fridays, unless otherwise stated. :)

**Chapter Seven**

**Tough Love**

 

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 8:47 pm.**  

“ _Dude!_ ” panted Beast Boy incredulously. “Are you even _human?!_ ” 

There was a deep chuckle. 

“I certainly appear more human than you, boy,” said Slade, his tone dry; nonchalantly brushing invisible dust from his arms. He put his hands onto his hips and looked at the six collapsed teens on the ground. Each appeared thoroughly exhausted from the fight. Slade, on the other hand – true to his prediction – hadn’t worked up a sweat. 

In a few years time, he knew Dick would become great – not that he wasn’t great now. He was getting better, but he wasn’t anywhere near Slade’s level. One day, that boy would become almost unstoppable. However, at that moment, he had reached the level where he could hold his own against Slade for a few minutes, but his stamina wasn’t built enough to Slade’s standard – no one was, really. Terra was at a basic level and only a few times did Slade have to avoid getting brained by a boulder. He also noticed that she had trouble fully controlling her powers – something that needed to be worked on _immediately_. 

The oldest teen, Cyborg, relied mainly on raw power and not so much technique. Out of all the other Titans, he did have the most experience in hand to hand combat. While he was more bulky, some strict training could make him a powerhouse. The green shrimp, Beast Boy, relied only on his transformations in the fight and that could prove dangerous for a lot of ‘two bit’ villains, but the boy needed some serious training; whether in one of his preferred animal forms or human form, he _desperately_ needed refinement. 

Raven was another one who relied mainly on her power. It had been a bit troublesome in the fight, but in the end, her power wasn’t a large threat. The reason for that was she was quite predictable in her use of her powers. If she had combined it with tactics and with some simple training, she could improve immensely. Starfire was one of the biggest threats of the team and could become a huge threat in the right hands. With her sheer power, she kept Slade on his toes to avoid getting any broken bones in the fight, but because of her lack in knowledge of extensive hand to hand combat in Earth terms, she wasn’t a threat – _yet_. 

All in all, it’d been a decent workout for Slade, while it had been an ego massacre for the Teen Titans. 

“Dad’s enhanced,” said Dick from his spot on the ground, his chest heaving. Sweat beaded his temples. “It’ll take more than this to even touch him.” 

“Spill my secrets, why don’t you, boy?” snorted Slade. 

“It’s really not that hard to figure out, man,” said Cyborg, groaning. Slade chuckled at the group. He had to admit, the group did pretty good against him. His mind was already thinking up training schedules for each of them, proving that each of them had what it took to impress him. He smiled lightly as he looked down at Dick. 

Who would’ve thought? 

Here Slade was, training the Teen Titans to become better heroes. Just a year ago, he’d been fighting against them – well, more like messing with them. If he’d been _really_ fighting against them, they’d be dead. He had only played with them like a played cat with its prey because he’d been interested in Robin’s abilities as an apprentice. 

How stunning that so much could change in so little time. Some might think Slade illogical for abandoning a name of power. Some might think Slade crazy for giving up the income of a lifetime. Some might think Slade foolish for throwing away the thrill and adrenaline rush of the job. 

Perhaps he was. 

Or perhaps he wasn’t. 

Slade had experience. He’d seen both sides now. There wasn’t any doubt in his mind. Being a father for Dick was the most powerful thrill he could ever have. But it wasn’t the same ‘thrill’ or ‘adrenaline rush’ one would have in the moment of a fight for one’s life. It held a softness and gentleness. There was a light that brushed over Slade’s heart whenever he saw the boy smile, as if that were the sign that he was doing something _right_ for once in his life. 

It was a selfless job. There was no single deed of power in it. No one would fear his name. _Well, a healthy fear of respect, in the boy’s case_. There was no paycheck or income. It was simply a daily increment of caring for a needy and delightful child. It wasn’t a thankless job, however. The ‘payment’ Slade received was far superior to any type of worldly currency: _unconditional love from a joyful son_. 

It did have its trials and issues. Slade never thought his heart could stop as it had when the boy disappeared for three days without so much as a note or a goodbye. _Really_ , what had that naughty little boy been _thinking_ anyway, going into space? There were rarely any disagreements between the two of them, since Dick usually submitted to his will when he knew he should. However, Slade knew Dick was a teenager – albeit, a good and obedient one – but a teenager nonetheless and like any child of that raging hormonal age, he was bound to have fits of moodiness or belligerence. 

Overall, Slade found the feelings of fulfillment in his current daily job the most intoxicating and exhilarating he had ever felt in his life. There was just something more now. He didn’t need to prove anything to himself any more. He didn’t need a chemical rush to feel alive. Thin arms around his waist and the soft, childlike voice – a voice that was slowly beginning to deepen into a man – were all he needed to know that he was truly alive and that he held worth. 

All that he had to do was just quietly be there for his boy. 

“All right, up you go, brat,” said Slade, almost affectionately; lightly nudging Dick’s arm with a foot. “You’re coming home with me tonight.” 

“But it’s Tuesday,” complained Dick, craning his neck backwards to look up at Slade. “We’re supposed to have a fun, family movie night.” 

There was a low mutter from somewhere in the group about fungus not being a family friendly featured film. 

“So it is. You’re still coming home with me tonight.” 

“Aww, but, Dad—” 

Slade made a warning sound in his throat, causing the boy to snap his mouth shut. Slade wasn’t one for extended patience at the moment. He still hadn’t forgotten Dick’s foolishness about releasing his identity to a stranger. It was one thing to train said stranger for a day, but a whole other thing to unveil your _identity_. Didn’t the boy know how many villains in Gotham City would pay a _fortune_ for Batman’s identity? This could jeopardize Dick’s safety. If word got out, some of the old Bat villains might come to Jump looking for a fight – something Slade was _not_ in the mood for, after all. Not only that, some of the smarter ones might make the connection between Richard Grayson and Bruce Wayne. 

Not that Slade cared about that _bat_ at all. It was merely the principle of the matter. 

_No_ , that wasn’t sarcasm, shockingly. 

Dick sighed and rolled onto his stomach, looking up at him. His lower lip protruded outward in a childish pout as his crystal blue eyes sparkled innocently – yet there was an endless amount of mischief there. 

“I can’t get up, though. Too tired.” 

Slade raised an eyebrow. Long black eyelashes blinked over those glittering blue orbs. They blinked once more. Oh, the little – _perhaps, slightly adorable_ – brat was doing it again. Just like the boy to push his luck. Without another word, Slade bent over and pulled Dick to his feet; tossing the protesting boy over his shoulder to dangle there. There was a cry of shock. Legs began to flail. Slade clamped his arm around the back of the boy’s knees while he lifted his other arm into the air with wave, completely ignoring the gaping mouths of the other shocked Titans. 

“Get some sleep, kids. You’re going to need it.” 

Slade smirked at their expressions. As he walked away, Dick squirmed uselessly in his hold. Finally, he felt the boy sag for a moment, before waving to his friends.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” cried Dick. 

After that, the boy continued to twist in the iron hold that he was locked within. Slade had no intention of letting the boy go, but the protests became more insistent. 

“Dad! Lemme down—the blood is rushing to my head!” 

Slade chuckled, feeling the small boy wriggle, writhe, and struggle to get out of his arms. But, of course, Slade was more powerful; not to mention, he didn’t actually _want_ to let the boy go. There was always a different solution to this problem, though. 

“Put your arms around my neck.” 

“I have no more strength in my stomach muscles after all that training!” protested Dick. 

There was a low chuckle. 

“Just do it, boy.” 

There was a tired sigh, but the boy complied. When Slade felt those thin arms wrap around the front of his neck, he let the boy go; causing him to swing around the back. Slade expertly grabbed the boy’s legs on either side of himself and hoisted the boy up. Dick’s arms tightened around his neck and Slade felt his face nestle inside the nape there. 

“Better?” 

“Much,” murmured Dick, snuggling closer. He heard the boy draw in a deep breath. There was a moment of silence as he exhaled before he spoke up again. “But you could’ve warned me you were gonna give me a piggyback.” 

Slade snorted. 

“I’m _carrying_ you. Never piggyback. I’m not a horse nor a pig.” 

Dick let out a mischievous giggle. 

“Giddy up, Cowboy.” 

Somehow, the man managed to let go and give Dick a firm, yet playful swat on the seat, before returning to his hold; hoisting Dick up once more. 

“Brat.” 

Dick giggled again, tightening his arms around the man’s neck. He breathed in deeply, letting the faint scent of his father’s cologne waft over him in a comforting wave. It had faded with the day, but it was still there. Even when faint, Dick could still recognize the fragrance. He loved it. Was it strange that he loved it? Naw, of course, not. He loved _everything_ about this man that was gently carrying him home. 

He was thankful for Slade’s sacrifice today. The man hadn’t been required to come spend a day training the Titans. Yet, he did anyway. Yes, Slade was retired now. But that certainly didn’t mean he had to train a bunch of kids – especially when some of those kids didn’t even like him or were suspicious of him. 

And yet, the man came and spent the _entire_ day with them – with a bunch of teens. Slade could’ve spent the day with someone else his age; heck, he could’ve even gotten himself a date. The man was handsome enough to get a good woman if he wanted. 

Although, the thought of Slade dating made Dick’s stomach turn slightly. Whether it was an uncomfortable thought, or a worry of being forgotten, or even just plain jealousy of anyone taking the man’s attention away, Dick wasn’t sure. He’d been jealous and worried before when he thought Slade was going to replace him as his apprentice with his biological daughter, so Dick wasn’t arrogant enough to rule out that possibility. 

However, even through the twinge of possible jealousy, a part of Dick hoped that Slade would find someone that could become his second half. He didn’t believe Slade’s ex-wife would ever come back to him, even with his retirement. There seemed to be too much bottled hate and anger in her heart – at least from the few moments that Dick caught a glimpse of her. Slade had brought such happiness to his young life, just from being his father, that Dick hoped the man could obtain a little happiness in return.

Because Dick loved this man. How funny was that? He went from hating him to loving him in a short amount of time. The human heart was an amazing thing, wasn’t it? Dick wouldn’t have it any other way. He was bonded to the man – this man that was a father to him. He very much appreciated him. 

Of course, Dick’s heart was still that of a child’s – though, there was no way he’d admit it. As with any child, he was bound to make mistakes. Hopefully, he wouldn’t make too many of them, but there was one thing he knew, his father was going have a long talk with him tonight. He truly hoped it wouldn’t end up being a painful one for his hide, though. 

“I’m still furious with you,” said Slade, after a few quiet minutes – but, contrary to those words, there was not a drop of anger in them. Dick smiled lightly, knowing full well that the man wasn’t saying the exact truth. 

“No, you’re not,” said Dick, his voice soft. 

“Aren’t I?” 

“Nope.” 

There was a gentle snort. 

“You know you’re in for a long lecture, do you not?” 

“Pretty much, but I know you’re not angry with me any more.” 

“Oh?” 

“You love me too much to stay mad at me forever,” whispered Dick, nestling his face deeper into the back of the man’s neck. His eyes slipped closed; his breathing deepened. The rhythm of the man’s steps was melodic to his exhausted mind and body. He was safe inside his father’s arms; therefore, it was too easy to allowed himself to rest. His mind vaguely heard a small chuckle, before a gentle word lifted into the air. 

“ _Imp_.” 

The boy’s breathing was soft against Slade’s skin. He could feel Dick’s arms slackening around his neck. Slade could only smile as he carried the boy down the pathway. The night had fallen considerably; the sky darkened with the sign of dusk. The ocean waters were gentle as they washed against the edges of the island. Slade boarded the boat with ease, careful not to jostle the boy awake. He carried him down below deck and placed him on the bed that resided there. 

The boy barely turned in his sleep. The little imp must’ve really exhausted himself today. 

Dick slept through the entire boat ride and even the car ride back to the haunt – didn’t wake once as Slade picked him up again. The car ride was peaceful; traffic was a minimum this night. Once Slade parked the car in the garage next to the empty warehouse, he turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt. Then, he looked over at Dick. The boy was still sleeping soundly. He was curled slightly onto his side, his chest lifting slowly in his deep sleep. 

Slade reached out and gently carded his fingers through the raven black hair. The boy didn’t move as he continued to sleep. 

Slade truly didn’t want to wake the child. They both had a long day – though, it’d been more trying on Dick’s body. The boy was exhausted. He probably wouldn’t be able to listen too well anyway to what Slade would say. But he couldn’t let this go and he certainly didn’t want to lecture the boy at the start of a new day. It would only dampen Dick’s spirits – especially if Slade decided a round of discipline was needed to deter the boy from making such a poor decision again. 

That was simply _not_ the way to start a new day. 

_Tough love_. 

That was how the term went, didn’t it? 

Slade was going to have to apply that now, wasn’t he? He wasn’t a stranger to it. When he’d been involved with his other children’s lives, he had been strict with them – loving in his own way, of course. But he didn’t allow them to do foolish things. There was just no way he’d allow that. They were his children – there was no need to make certain mistakes while their parents were around. However, Joey hadn’t been one for that and Rose had been too young to even comprehend the fact beyond that of a little child. 

No, it had been Grant that had been the reckless one. He’d been the teenager, after all. He had been just like Slade in that manner – almost a carbon copy sometimes. If Slade had known what was to occur, he would’ve stopped that boy in his tracks. It was true, he had wanted an apprentice and had hoped that Grant would be the one to fill those shoes, but Slade certainly hadn’t wanted the boy to start going out on contracts at such a young age. 

But Slade hadn’t fully trained the recklessness out of Grant. In some way, he had allowed some of it, because it had reminded him of his days as a young man. Had he indulged the boy? Not quite. He had still required perfect obedience and perfect respect. Nothing less was accepted. But had he permitted the reckless behavior? 

Just a bit. 

Slade couldn’t do that again; he couldn’t make the same mistake twice. Look where it had led – the boy was _dead_ ; his first born son was _dead_. He wasn’t coming back. Slade couldn’t allow that to happen to Dick – _he just couldn’t_. He couldn’t bear to lose Dick. No matter how unpleasant, Slade would have to apply some tough love here – because he _loved_ this boy and he wanted to see Dick to adulthood. How far he’d have to go with the tough love remained to be seen, however. 

Slade honestly didn’t want to end the day with punishing Dick, not after such a good day. Dick had been so happy. Sometimes being a father wasn’t enjoyable, nor easy, nor fun – at least in a case like this. Slade truly hoped that the boy had enough common sense to have a good attitude through the impending lecture – for his hide’s sake, in the very least. 

With a tired, resigned sigh, Slade gently patted the boy on the cheek. 

“Dick, we’re home now. Wake up.” 

Long, black eyelashes slowly fluttered open, revealing a pair of very sleepy eyes. The boy yawned deeply, twisting in his seat to sit up. He stretched somewhat, his arms halfway clenched at his sides as his stomach arched. Once he was done, he glanced around the car dazedly, before looking up at Slade. 

“Where…?” 

“We’re home,” supplied Slade. “Can you walk?” 

“Mm, I’suppose so,” murmured Dick, his words slurring together slightly. 

With another sigh, Slade got out of the car, careful not to slam the door too hard. He went around the car to Dick’s side and opened the door. The boy was still looking tiredly at the dashboard. Slade bent down and unbuckled the seatbelt; easily scooping the sleepy boy into his arms. Dick didn’t protest and rested his head against the chest provided there, causing Slade to smile lightly. 

Yes, this was going to be difficult. 

Slade closed the car door with his foot and walked to the entrance that resided in the abandoned warehouse. With yet even more carefulness, Slade managed the bundle of boy in his arms as he put in the code. The door slid open as the orange light clicked into response. He walked into the main room; hearing the creaking gears above. 

A moment later, he was opening the door of the kitchen and setting the half asleep Dick into a chair at the table. Wintergreen was also at the table, reading a book – as usual – when he gave them a warm, welcoming smile. 

“You two are pretty late,” said Wintergreen, standing up. “I can warm up some dinner, if you’re hungry.” 

Slade only smiled as he sat down at the table; sighing deeply as his body settled into the chair. He shook his head. 

“The children wanted pizza. I believe the only thing Cyborg and I agreed on during the entire day was – and I quote – ‘the all meat experience’.” 

Wintergreen chuckled, giving Slade a knowing smile. 

“It seems you had quite the eventful day.” 

“Quite,” said Slade with drawling ruefulness. There was another aged chuckle, then Wintergreen glanced over at Dick. The boy was half asleep, his head bobbing up and down as he blacked out every few moments; only to pop his head back up and blink with bleary eyes, before restarting the procedure again. 

“Shouldn’t Richard be in bed?” asked Wintergreen, eyeing the boy with a fond expression as the boy began to droop back down. 

“Yes, but I’m afraid something has to be addressed first,” said Slade, feeling weary about the impending lecture he had to impart and further on, the possible discipline he would have to apply should the boy be difficult about it. “He did something dangerously stupid today and I have to talk to him about it.” 

“Oh, Slade, are you sure it isn’t best to leave that for tomorrow?” asked Wintergreen, looking over at Dick with a worried glance. The boy was at the blinking with bleary eyes stage at that moment. 

“It must be tonight,” said Slade with a shake of his head. “It cannot wait until morning.” 

“But…” 

Slade looked at him; a soft, tired expression filling his features. 

“Will, _please_.” 

That was all that was needed for the old man to relent. He rarely intervened with Slade’s parenting – only to push in the right direction when it was needed. It was obvious that Slade was taking the moment seriously. Wintergreen nodded, giving the boy one more sad, almost pitying glance. Then, after a moment, the old man gave Slade an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder, before leaving the room without another word. 

Yes, it wasn’t going to be easy, but the boy needed to learn never to do this again – even if it meant forgoing needed sleep. Being a parent wasn’t easy. This much Slade knew perfectly well. He wanted to do what was best for Dick in the long run. Best to keep him alive, than let things slide. This boy still had a long life ahead of him, and Slade was bound and determined to see the imp through it. 

_No matter what_. 

Thus, Dick didn’t fully understand what was happening around him. He was vaguely aware of voices around him. He was so _tired_. He just wanted to sleep. Why wasn’t he asleep again? His senses slowly began to awaken as he realized something in his stupor. His father had been planning on talking to him. The man was going to lecture him about something. 

What was that something? 

Oh, yeah. He gave away his identity. That was serious. Very serious. But he trusted Terra for some reason. What was the reason? Oh, yeah. She had a good heart. That was good, right? No harm done. 

_Yeah_ , he was really tired.

Something cold touched Dick’s cheek, making him snap his eyes open in surprise. The chilled nature of the object brought more wakefulness to his person. He glanced upward to see that Slade was smirking at him, tapping his cheek once more with that cold thing. Dick pulled back to see it that was a lemon ice pop. He took it slowly, while giving the man a confused look. 

“I thought I was in trouble.” 

“Oh, you are,” said Slade with a chuckle. “No mistaking that, boy. But you look like you’re about to fall over and I rather you conscious when I lecture you.” 

Dick smiled, unwrapped the treat, and gave the ice pop one, good lick by sliding the entire thing into his mouth; letting the tart, yet sweet flavor flow over his tongue. His mind slowly began to work in its normal order. He was still extremely tired, but he was beginning to function better from the sugar and tartness. Besides, if Slade was giving him a treat that had to mean he wasn’t in _that_ much trouble. He continued to eat his sweet as he glanced down at the kitchen floor. He wasn’t looking forward to this conversation. Slade was going to scold and reprimand him, no doubt about that. Whether or not his hide made it out alive was a whole other thing to worry about as well. 

They weren’t in his bedroom, so that had to mean that _maybe_ Slade wouldn’t wallop him over this. But that certainly didn’t mean that the man wouldn’t ‘move’ the conversation when he was done with his lecture.

Hopefully, Slade would warn him… 

_Ugh_ , the uncertainly was going to kill Dick. 

“Dad, are you gonna… _you know…?_ ” Dick trailed off and gave Slade that questioning look, unable to contain the squirm in his seat. The man snorted, chuckling deeply. 

“Maybe I won’t tell you and let you worry about it, hm?” 

Somehow, this man _always_ knew what Dick was thinking. 

“Awe, but that’s torture, you know.” 

“I am well versed in such things and I assure you, this is far from ‘torture’, you silly child.” 

“But still…” 

Slade sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his face. Then, he gave Dick a serious look, but there was a gentleness inside of it. 

“Dick, you do realize _why_ you would be in trouble over this, don’t you?” asked Slade, his tone sounding tired. There was an entreating nature to his voice as he continued to speak. “This isn’t an infraction of obedience, nor is it an act of disrespect. I’m talking about you not putting thought into your safety. You hoarded your identity last year. There was a reason for it, was there not? It was for your _safety_ , not just your preference. There’s a reason for the masks, which you know all too well. What I can’t understand is why you so easily disregarded this, when in the past you _knew_ this.” 

“It wasn’t that I was being careless, Dad,” said Dick, unaware of how dismissive he sounded. “I knew what I was doing—” 

The gentle expression that had been inside the man’s features faded away immediately. Anger flashed in Slade’s eye and he slammed his hand onto the table, causing Dick to stop midsentence and flinch back. The man pointed a sharp finger at him. 

“You do _not_ know what you’re doing!” snapped Slade, all previous softness in his tone vanishing in an instant. “You better cut that attitude that’s slipping into your tone if you want to get through this conversation unscathed.” 

Dick gulped and nodded, looking down at the floor. There was an exasperated huff through the nostrils. 

“Tell me, as much as I _loath_ to bring him up, but what would that _bat_ say to something like this, hm?” Dick glanced up, his lower lip slowly tucking in beneath his teeth somewhat. “Isn’t Bruce Wayne a hoarder of his identity as well? Didn’t he drill such a concept into your head? Why are you acting as this is a new concept?” 

“I’m not…” whispered Dick weakly. 

“Yes, you are. You cannot give me a good answer as to why you divulged your identity so easily. Listen to me— _Look at me_ when I’m speaking to you.” Dick’s head popped back upward as the man’s tone turned sharper – since he had been ducking his head yet again as the man continued speaking. Slade leaned closer and clasped a hand on Dick’s chin. A terrible light entered his visible grey blue eye. “Men _kill_ for the identity of their enemy—” 

“I know that!” 

The hand on Dick’s chin tightened. 

“ _Do not interrupt me_ ,” hissed Slade, his eye widening in warning. “If you know that, then you would have acted accordingly. Knowledge of a hero’s true identity – or a villain’s, for that matter – is _power_. Grant is _dead_ because of that knowledge.” Pain flooded through Dick’s entire chest at that. “The boy bragged about being the son of Deathstroke. Perhaps he even mentioned more, since they went after the rest of the family. If your enemies know who _you_ are, then they can go after your loved ones. They can get you when your guard is down; they can get you where it hurts the most. _This isn’t a game!_ If you want to continue to be a hero, if you want _my_ allowance on this – because, trust me, I will revoke the right if you do not obey this – then, you better _think_ about the ramifications that might occur from allowing just _one_ person to know who you are.” 

The hand withdrew from Dick’s chin, leaving the flesh there feeling cold from its removal. Slade leaned back in his chair as he continued to eye Dick sternly. 

“I’m not telling you these things to be mean. Although I honestly don’t care about your personal feelings on this matter. The only thing I care about is the fact that you learn from this and avoid making such a risky choice in the future.” 

Dick swallowed, nodding once; the ice of his popsicle melting, so that it slid down the stick onto his fingers. He wanted to lick it away, but he didn’t think that was a good idea. He glanced down at the tiled floor, his stomach flopping nervously. He wasn’t sure what to say now. 

“Are you gonna… wallop me for this?” 

Slade growled lightly, slapping his hand again onto the surface of the table loudly and causing Dick’s head to snap up in a flinch. 

“Blast it, Dick, I should! I really should, since that’s all you’re thinking about it through this. You’re not even hearing me. I ought to spank you— _yes,_ _spank you_ —” Slade sharply reiterated the term at Dick’s wince. “—like the petulant child you’re being right now. Your flagrant attitude about this is pushing me to the edge. You have yet to offer me anything that sounds like possible remorse or repentance – forget humility – and at this point, you still might not be off the hook.” 

Slade let out an annoyed huff and folded his arms, staring at Dick with a severe expression. Dick placed the melting popsicle onto its wrapping, his appetite gone. He grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped his hands, clasping them inside his lap once they were clean; staring down at them as they twisted themselves there. 

“I only wanted to extend an offer of trust with Terra,” whispered Dick, a lump beginning to form inside his throat. “I know you’re mad. But I really didn’t feel that Terra was untrustworthy. I just felt that she needed something that would give her the nudge to open up. I wasn’t doing it to be risky or anything. I wasn’t trying to be careless. I’m sorry, Dad. Really I am.” 

Slade sighed angrily, unfolding his arms and resting his chin in one of his hands to look away, while his fingers drummed on the table. 

“I don’t know what to do with you,” whispered Slade, almost as if he were speaking to himself. “Your intent, as you say, wasn’t trying to be careless, but nonetheless you were.” Slade placed his face into his hand, shaking it lightly. Dick heard a whisper, one that was faint, “ _What am I to do with you, you foolish child?_ ” 

Dick swallowed once. “Don’t you think…” he began, before he could stop himself, “…that maybe I’m a little too old to be… uh, to be spanked? I mean, I’m fifteen, that’s a little too old for a kid’s punishment. I, uh… um, don’t you think?” 

Slade froze. 

There was a long moment where the man didn’t move at all. Dick suddenly wished he hadn’t opened his mouth about this – especially in the moment. He should’ve waited when the man _wasn’t_ angry at him. Slade lifted his face to stare at Dick, amused fury whirling inside his grey blue eye. 

“ _A little too old?_ ” repeated Slade, his low voice slow and deliberate. “For a kid’s punishment? Excuse me, but I don’t see anyone else in this room who _isn’t_ a kid – discounting myself, of course. If you’re not a kid, then what, _exactly_ , are you? A teen? A teen is the same as a kid or a child. There’s no difference here. Don’t you dare think there is. Until you can act and think like a competent adult – one I don’t have to fear for, one that maintains control over himself – then, you are _child_. Age doesn’t matter. Children are guided, instructed, loved, cared for, and disciplined. You are at this stage in your life. 

“But—” 

“Grant was fourteen when he disobeyed me for the last time – before his death, obviously,” said Slade, changing subject abruptly. His tone was still sharp, but emotion began to seep through it. “I caught him sneaking out in the middle of the night to go to a high school party that I had _specifically_ told him he could not go to – where I knew would have nothing but bad influences for him at such a young age. He knew not to go, yet he attempted to do so; knowing full well what would happen if he were caught.” 

Slade gave Dick a slightly amused, yet bitter look. 

“He went to bed with a smarting backside, that’s for sure. His age had nothing to do with it and I assure you that if he had come back alive the same thing would’ve happened.” 

Then, Slade sighed, sounding far older than he actually was. Dick’s eyes began to burn. He had to swallow back the lump before it built even more. 

“I treat you like you’re my own, like you’re truly my blood son. It seems that, in a way, I’ve been treating you like my own long before you even signed those papers.” 

Dick’s lips trembled as he tried not to cry. Hearing the man say that was more than he could bear and he had to avert his gaze. To hear the man admit to something like that was striking to Dick’s heart in the most touching way possible. 

“But it seems that you’ve forgotten the purpose of those papers, the purpose of an adoption.”

Surprised and caught off guard, Dick looked up at the man. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You’ve forgotten what it means to be a son again,” said Slade softly. At the sight of shock and indignation on Dick’s face, the man put up a hand. “Don’t misunderstand me. It’s normal. You’re being chastised right now for a foolish mistake. It’s not pleasant for you. It’s uncomfortable. You’re a teenager who goes off protecting the city like an adult. It causes you to forget that you’re called to follow certain guidelines that are set for you. Signing those papers meant that you agreed to someone putting restrictions over you.” 

It reminded Dick of what he had thought the previous night. He wanted this. He wanted someone looking out for him. He wanted someone to protect him. He wanted someone to worry about him. _But_ he didn’t want to be scolded and he certainly did _not_ want to be punished, one way or another. Who did? 

And then, conflicting feelings of the highest level caused his heart to accept those things as well. By accepting the stern censure that the man was laying on him at the moment meant that Slade truly cared for him. He was loved and protected. Someone was affected by his choices, whether good or ill – he wasn’t alone any more. 

No matter how much he really disliked being subjected to Slade’s severe and strict discipline, he knew that if the man didn’t do that, Dick would eventually feel like Slade didn’t care about him any more. This less pleasant side of having a father was needed just as much as the soft, comforting side. He needed both to complete the vision of father. 

Ugh, sometimes Dick really hated his analytical and logical brain. 

“On top of all this,” continued Slade, his voice rising. “You refuse to come to me when something’s been bothering you for so long. Last night, you told me that you’ve been having this same nightmare for a whole week. When I asked you yesterday morning why you were up early, you _lied_ to me when you told it wasn’t a big deal.” 

“Wait, I didn’t lie!” cried Dick, horror pouring through him at the thought. Just what he needed; _more trouble_. 

“Telling me something isn’t a big deal when clearly it _is_ very much a big deal is a _lie_ ,” snapped Slade sternly. “I am to be the judge if something is a big deal or not. These nightmares are infringing on your sleep, which will in turn affect your health. Your judgment here isn’t developed enough to take your own needs in consideration. This is why I’m here. Is not it?” 

“Yes, sir, I understand. But I wasn’t lying,” insisted Dick. “Honestly, I wasn’t trying to. _Please_ , believe me.” Honestly, last thing he needed was yet another misdeed to nail down his coffin. He truly hadn’t been trying to lie to the man. “I just… I just didn’t want you to worry, all right?” 

The man’s expression softened. 

“I understand you weren’t trying to lie – something you sure better _not_ do with me or you _will greatly regret_ it – and I understand you are always thoughtful of others before yourself. But there’s something you’re forgetting once again.” Slade leaned forward and pressed a gentle finger against Dick’s chest. “ _You_ are my sole priority. My only job is _you_. If you need to take up all my time, then so be it. I’ve resolved myself to this responsibility. I want to do it. I _want_ you to take my time. But don’t cause me additional and unnecessary worry by trying to keep things to yourself. That’ll only make me _more_ concerned. It’s my _job_ to be worried over you. What did you think my retiring meant?” 

Dick found his voice locked and unable to respond to that. He felt touched that Slade was so devoted to being a father now. He didn’t have to be, but he _wanted_ to be. Dick wasn’t his biological son; therefore, this was all voluntary. It caused emotion to build up inside Dick’s chest and thus, he found that he couldn’t speak. So, he stuck with the tried and true method – he shrugged lightly. 

“Shrugging isn’t an answer, Dick,” chided Slade, yet his tone was still soft. “You know that and you know the right answer. Tell me.” 

Dick looked away, trying to figure out how he was going to speak with the growing lump in his throat. A hand reached out and clasped his chin gently, slowly forcing his gaze to look back at Slade. His eyes glanced downward to avoid that piercing grey blue eye – no matter how soft the light was inside there. 

But Slade didn’t say anything. He just held Dick’s chin with a soft, warm pressure from his large hand. He didn’t require Dick’s eyesight, for which he was grateful. Dick found himself drawing on the warmth and comfort from the hand that was gently holding him. After a moment, he finally was able to speak. 

“To raise me…” whispered Dick, feeling shy as he said that. “You retired for me, to spend time with me, because… because you love me.” 

The hand on Dick’s chin squeezed tenderly. 

“ _Exactly_ ,” responded Slade, his voice in a perfect whisper. Dick’s eyes managed to look back at the man. There was such a gentleness there that it almost unraveled him. “Don’t you forget that.” 

Dick nodded as the hand withdrew. He found himself looking down at the floor yet once again. There was glow inside his chest at the moment. He didn’t like making mistakes and he wondered if he truly had made such a grievous one with Terra. He understood his father’s stance on it and he agreed; Slade was right. He’d been too careless without even realizing it. 

If he’d known the outcome, would he have done the same thing? Would he have risked his father’s anger on this to try to gain Terra’s trust? It was very possible. If, in the end, everything worked out, then he probably wouldn’t stop himself from revealing his identity to Terra. 

But would he do it again with another person? 

No, he would not. Dick wanted to obey Slade, not only because the man was correct, but because he didn’t want the man to be unhappy with him. He wanted to please Slade – because he respected him, because he loved him. 

He couldn’t bear it if Slade were disappointed in him. He wanted to do all he could to please this man, to listen to him, to obey him – to demonstrate that he respected Slade enough to comply with his wishes. 

Unfortunately, even with the truest intentions, one’s actions sometimes contradicted such things – as Dick would prove all too soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Eight: Sustaining Charity – At Slade's insistence, Dick reveals part of his nightmare to him; however, he also falls into a deadly trap of his own creation – a web of dishonesty. Even with such a grievous, yet hidden sin after great leniency, Dick experiences his father’s love at its purest. And all the while, Slade remembers some of the harsh history that is etched into his son’s body.


	8. Sustaining Charity

**Chapter Eight**

**Sustaining Charity**  

 

 **April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 9:51 pm.**  

“Very well, then,” said Slade, after a moment of silence. “I believe the lecture is over. Come to me.” 

Dick’s eyes widened, the panic rising inside his chest. There was no escaping this, was there, then? Was the man really going to punish him here in the kitchen? He didn’t usually. Dick seriously hoped that the old man wouldn’t choose this time to walk down the hallway at that moment if Slade chose differently. Awkward and embarrassing much? _Heck, yeah_. 

However, it was even more than that… Dick didn’t want the old man to know he had messed up. 

But Dick’s fears were unfounded, he realized, as he looked up at the man. There was a soft expression across Slade’s young, yet masculine features. Even though Slade was fifty-four or so, the man didn’t look a day over thirty. There was such a gentleness in Slade’s face at that moment – an almost soft benevolence across those features. His arms were out to the side, his hands out in a beckoning stance. 

Dick launched himself into the man’s open arms, throwing his own around the neck provided. He buried his face in the nape there, just as he felt those strong arms encompass around him and give him a powerful hug. The faded scent of that rustic, musky cologne softly wafted over Dick’s senses. He had grown to love this scent – this scent that reminded him of the powerful man that had become a father to him. 

“ _I love you, you silly child_ ,” whispered Slade. “You know that by now, don’t you?” 

Dick nodded inside the man’s neck, not trusting his voice. The soft whisper of that smooth, gentle tone continued. 

“Then, you understand why I’m saying all this, right?” 

There was another nod. The voice that spoke dropped to an even lower whisper. 

“ _I don’t want to lose you_.” 

The emotions inside Dick’s heart were overflowing now. He sniffled once as he tried to control them. He understood that fear. He didn’t have to worry any more, since Slade was immortal by some crazy fluke in life. But Slade did have to worry about it in Dick’s case. In some ways, it wasn’t fair to the man. There was no reason why he had to feel that fear, but unfortunately that was just a fact. 

Dick’s life was fragile and ever so precious – he had been affirmed in this fact by two very special adults in his life. His life needed to be guarded and protected. How easily it could be snuffed out, like the lingering smoke of a candlestick. 

As Dick stayed snuggled inside the man’s arms, there was a moment where he felt the man lift one his arms from the hug. Automatically, Dick waited for what he was sure to follow. He had figured it was coming – _worried_ about it, too – since the beginning of lecture. 

“Which is why…” 

There was a deep sigh as the man trailed off. Dick tightened his arms around the man’s neck, staying comfortably inside the embrace. He wondered if Slade would give him a few swats – for something this big, Dick honestly expected such a reprimand. However, there was a long moment of simply nothing. 

Dick became confused. Why was Slade hesitating? He knew what to expect from this man who required nothing but absolute obedience and respect – something Dick truly believed the man deserved, even though he didn’t always obey perfectly. He messed up sometimes, as any child would. But this had been established for months, even before the adoption. It was this constancy that Dick found trust and peace; he knew exactly where he stood with the man and he _needed_ that. Even when he didn’t exactly like it, he knew that he needed the trust and emotional security that such stability provided – he had actually pushed Slade to the edge to _test_ that stability. 

He needed it. 

But no such reprimand came. 

The same hand that sometimes met out sharp reproof was simply patting him gently on the back, bringing with it a special warmth. There was a soft moment until Slade let out another tired sigh. 

“ _Oh, dear_. Why I’m being lenient with you, I have no idea,” murmured Slade so quietly, it was as if he were speaking to himself. Dick blinked, surprised. He pulled back in the man’s arms, his hands resting on those powerful shoulders, and looked directly into that grey blue eye; seeking answers there. Slade returned the gaze; his eye glimmered once with an emotional light. 

“You’re not gonna swat me, even once? Even when I deserve it?” asked Dick, whispering softly. “You usually do.” 

It was beginning to happen more and more. Dick was watching Slade evolve into a better man, a kinder man, a softer man – so different from the man that had slipped into the Tower like a shadow and had stolen him away. Such soft tenderness, such gentle affection, such sweet fondness were in this man’s eye as he regarded the childlike, pleading gaze that came from Dick. 

The man’s hands lifted up and encased Dick’s cheeks; warmth flooded the skin there. Slade leaned a little closer, their foreheads nearly touching as he squeezed the flesh in his hands reverently. 

“No, I’m not going to swat you, child. Just… please don’t make the same poor choice concerning your identity again,” whispered Slade, his tone matching the same softness that his actions were demonstrating. Then, his voice softened even more, an almost pleading pull flowing there, “And please don’t hide things from me any more, especially when it concerns your physical and mental health. Will you promise me this?” 

 Dick meekly nodded in the man’s hands, wanting to please him. There was a gentle, approving smile. Dick’s heart glowed intensely. Almost immediately, he collapsed into another embrace, throwing his arms around the man’s neck once more; his heart expanding with the deep love and appreciation that he felt for Slade. 

Dick wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes – stupid ones, even – and he made them all the time. He knew this and admitted it. When he’d been only _Robin_ , he hadn’t truly and fully realized this fact. It wasn’t until he had created Red X and the events which followed that he realized just how much he could make such stupid and horrible mistakes. 

The single consequence for that one action had been monumental. It hadn’t been a consequence of mere parental admonishment. It had been so much more. At first, it had been terrible. But, hidden in the uncomfortable consequence of his poor choice came an undeniably special blessing. Dick knew and understood that not all choices resulted in something like this. 

Thus, he was proud to be Slade’s son, because somehow, he knew that the man would keep him straight. Slade would never allow him to make certain mistakes – no doubt, Dick would never make a mistake like Red X again, with or without Slade’s interference. Despite the errors that Slade had made in his own life, Dick trusted the man to protect and guide him aright. 

It was in this very moment, Dick could feel the man’s deep love for him. He could feel Slade’s reluctance in giving him a sharp punishment. He could feel the man’s plea that Dick listen and obey, so that he wouldn’t have to discipline Dick severely. A parent never wanted to punish their child. It wasn’t fun. It was _difficult_. There was nothing enjoyable about that side of being a parent. 

And Dick could feel that – he could feel that Slade had reached this level of love for him. In all sense of the word, Slade had become Dick’s parent – his father, even going beyond the bonds of blood. 

 _They had come so far – leagues in the distance of the soul._  

Two different people – two _very_ different people brought together in the most unimaginable way. It even went far deeper than one could truly understand. It gloried the capacity of the heart, showing love at its most innocent, at its most pristine, even to the point of touching the divine possibility that resided within the heart – a love, a charity which culminated in the very purest of all the emotions that existed in the world. 

 _A true family bond – a true Father and Son bond, never to be forgotten_. 

That was how sacred the heart was; that was how sacred love was between two people – no matter the origins, no matter the whispers of the world. Love had found its way into their hearts and would remain so – _it would never fade away_. 

There was a light chuckle. It rumbled through Slade’s body and flowed into Dick’s as he stayed connected to the man through the warm hug. 

“Maybe I’ve finally gone soft.” 

“Soft is good,” whispered Dick, snuggling a little deeper into the man’s hold. Soft was _definitely_ good. Soft was _amazing_. To put ‘soft’ and ‘Slade’ in the same context months ago would’ve been laughable. Now, Dick couldn’t see the man in any other light. There was another chuckle and a firmer pat on the back. 

“Is that right?” 

“Mmhmm,” murmured Dick with a nod. Somehow, he wormed his way onto the man’s lap without ever removing his arms. There was another tremor of chuckling that flowed over him, and then a firm, yet gentle pat on his hip. Dick let out deep sigh, basking in the safety that he felt from this man. 

How lucky was he? How lucky was Dick to have this? He could have this moment, this _soft_ moment of being close to his father, being held by such a special man – after years of missing out on a parent’s love and affection. There was no one to tell him he couldn’t just sit here like a child in the man’s lap. There was no one to tell him to hurry up and grow up. There was no one to make fun of him – and even then, Dick had a feeling he’d blush for a brief moment, before telling them to shut it; all the while continuing to enjoy his father’s kindness and indulgence. 

What a blessing; what a _true_ and _beautiful_ gift. 

It was funny how, in one breath, he didn’t want to be treated like a child, but in the next breath, he basked in these soft moment like the driest sponge soaking up water. He supposed, in that very moment, it was better to endure his father’s insistence at childlike punishments if he could have these warm, soft, and gentle moments like this. 

The tradeoff was well worth it. 

There was another sigh that escaped Dick’s breathing, his body relaxing even further in the hold. He was getting tired again. His eyes were slowly drooping closed. Wouldn’t it be nice just to stay right where he was until morning? Maybe then he wouldn’t be haunted by the nightmare. Maybe his nightmare would be too afraid to come after him if he were inside these strong, protecting arms. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a safe slumber? After all, his father would protect him, right? 

But before Dick could fully drift into a peaceful sleep, there was a low sigh; the vibrations once again flowing from the man to Dick’s body. 

“Now, tell me about this nightmare you’ve been having.” 

Dick’s eyes popped open, the panic washing over him in an awakening alarm. 

“Do I have to?” 

There was a snort and a firm pat on his lower hip. 

“No, but then maybe I’ll reconsider my _extreme_ generosity tonight and we can continued this talk in your room, hm?” 

 _Good ol` Dad and his ever perfect coercing ways._  

There was a forlorn sigh. 

“ _Fine_ …”

“I’m sorry, Dick, but this is very important,” said Slade, truly sounding regretful; patting him once more softly. “I need to know what this nightmare is since it’s greatly affecting you so much. Please understand, your health and wellbeing are my first priorities here.” 

Dick only nodded. He understood where his father was coming from, but it certainly didn’t make it any easier, that was for sure. He just wasn’t sure how well he could articulate the nightmare without breaking down and crying. He honestly didn’t want to do that. But to voice those deaths out loud, only to see them flash before his eyes in his waking moments was a bit too much for his gentle heart. 

But Dick felt protected at that moment and he needed that. It was different than talking to the man on the phone. He was surrounded by strong, warm arms that were powerful enough to literally punch through stone walls, but were soft enough to give tender hugs. Here, he was safe. Here, nothing could harm him. Here, he could be the child that he was. 

So, in the soft, protecting arms, Dick continued to sit in his father’s lap as he began to relate the nightmare. Slade didn’t let him leave out any details. It was hard talking about the world that had appeared so lifeless in his dream. He hated speaking about the horrible crimson sky, the landscape filled with corpses, and the demonic crows that feasted greedily. But he remained stoic as best as he could through it. 

It was when he had to talk about the deaths of those he loved dearly that he begun to break down. Hot tears slipped down his cheeks before he could stop himself. His shoulders shook from his effort to hold back his tears, yet they wouldn’t listen to him. This was why he didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to cry about something that hadn’t happened. He didn’t want to verbalize any potential of it, either. He _hated_ remembering those images. He _hated_ seeing them dead. 

It was his worst fear of all. 

He couldn’t bear to lose any more of his friends and family. He had already lost his parents, he had already watched them die once; but the thought of losing his friends and his new family was more than he could handle. He’d been given a new chance. It was as if the nightmare was telling him not to get used to it – because it could all be taken away in an instant. 

Slade was patient in perfect kindness as Dick choked out the final bits of this horrible moment inside his dream. The man’s hand tenderly stroked his back, soothing the troubled nature inside Dick’s heart. Never before had Dick felt and appreciated such a patient man. He wasn’t the only one that had grown – Slade, too, had grown in ways that never had imagined. Dick couldn’t have done this without that patience and soft care. 

 _Unfortunately_ … 

There was more to the dream. 

Somehow, though, Dick couldn’t say more. 

How could he? How could he explain who that creature was? He couldn’t tell Slade that it was some evil, random person. The man would question, drill, and extract every last detail of his appearance from Dick. It wouldn’t take him much longer to make the connection – that horrible, evil creature was actually Dick’s opposite. 

And then what? 

What would Slade think? What would the man say, then? 

He was losing his mind, wasn’t he? Dick had to be going crazy, just like his doppelganger had mocked and taunted. He was losing the final shreds of his sanity; the tattered strips becoming dust to be scattered in the wind. If he told Slade, what would the man tell him? Would he confirm this fact? Would he have a face of pity? Of comfort? Or would he show a face of fear? 

A face of fear or a face of pity were the two things Dick did not want to see. He couldn’t handle it – it would only confirm that something was wrong; that something was _very wrong_. It would only confirm that he truly was going insane. 

He couldn’t let that happen, _no matter what_. 

“Oh, Dick,” murmured Slade finally, when there was a pause in Dick’s narrative; the man’s arms tightening around him in a protecting manner. “I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s not your fault,” whispered Dick, unable to stop his shoulders from trembling. He hadn’t said everything – he _couldn’t_. Was Slade going to press for more information? What was he going to do? Could Dick truly deny his father such information? 

He had no choice. 

“I know, but you’ve been suffering alone,” said Slade, his voice extremely pained. “What kind of father am I when my son is suffering so much?” 

“Dad, really, it’s not your fault. I’m the one who didn’t say anything,” said Dick, feeling bad now. It wasn’t Slade’s fault; it was his. “You can’t fix everything.” 

“I can try,” drawled Slade, deeply chuckling and sending more welcoming tremors through Dick’s body. He giggled softly, appreciating his Slade’s desire to help and protect him. 

There were a few moments of silence as Dick stayed inside the hug, never wanting to leave it again. But his heart was pounding inside his chest; worried if he would be pressed further. The anxious anxiety was increasing his heart rate – all because he knew what his answer would be. And, in the end, he would hate himself for it. 

Then, his father’s quiet voice spoke up; never failing. 

“Is there anything else?” 

There was a pause. Gentle breathing could be heard within the room. There was a swallow and the tightening of arms around a large neck. A heart pounded harder, threatening to burst through its cavity. 

“No, sir,” whispered Dick. 

It was in that very moment that Dick knew he had just lied. Even after the man had been _so soft_ and _so compassionate_ , Dick had just repaid him by breaking his promise. 

It made Dick feel very sick to his stomach and utterly disgusted with his actions. 

He wanted nothing more than to open his mouth at that moment and confess to lying. If this is what it felt like, he never wanted to lie to his father again. He was having a literal physical reaction to it and he absolutely despised it. His stomach was churning and his heart was twisting inside his chest. He desperately needed it to stop. If he confessed, it would go away, right? 

Unfortunately, his mouth wouldn’t listen to him. His heart cried out to him to clear the air, to relieve the horrible feeling that was rising inside his stomach, but his voice had no strength. His heart pleaded with him to release the pressure, but his mind rejected all petitions. 

After all, it wasn’t exactly normal for someone to be confronted with their dark self. It wasn’t normal to hear that dark self claim it was going to destroy everything that Dick had ever known. It wasn’t normal to hear that same dark self claim that it would kill its opposite – meaning Dick. 

It was certainly not normal to interact with that dark self so much. It felt so _real_. It was more than just a nightmare. Dick truly felt as if he were there, living every single horrible moment. And when that doppelganger showed up every time at the end, taunting him, mocking him, threatening him, Dick couldn’t help be thoroughly frightened for his sanity. 

Would Slade be worried for his sanity, too, if Dick told him this part of the nightmare? 

“Are you sure? Don’t leave anything out. You’re sure you’ve remembered everything?” asked Slade with a gentle pat on the back. Dick’s breath caught in his throat; completely frozen in the moment. 

Fate had given him a second chance. 

What would happen if he chose to listen to it? If he revealed what he was holding back, what would that do for the future? Would it alter the course of events? Could a simple choice of choosing between telling the truth and telling a lie really be the separation of paths, a fork in the road? Could such a choice really transcend higher than just the outcome of whether or not he would be punished for a poor mistake? 

Dick wouldn’t know it at that moment, but his simple choice would have that much power. Sometimes in life, a single choice truly did have that much supremacy – whether for good or for ill. Most of the time, however, such makers of these choices will never know until it’s too late to alter the course of the path they have chosen to step forward upon. 

However, even when such a choice seems irreparable and the path discouraging, there’s always a chance to fix things. 

“Yes, sir, I’m sure I’ve remembered everything,” whispered Dick, closing his eyes as he submitted to the lie he had just spoken. It was just _one_ lie. His father wouldn’t find out. He didn’t need to find out. No one needed to know about _him_. No one needed to know what truly lurked inside Dick’s mind. 

_I’m sorry…_

_But no one must know._

_Not even you, Dad._  

Of course, that was what Dick thought. He thought that nothing would come from a single decision. Unfortunately, one lie generally leads to another. Thus, his sole choice would bring about great consequences; a solitary choice that would shake the very foundations of his heart. If he had chosen the other path, certain events would not play out and perhaps a life could have been spared a deep amount of emotional pain – a life he could’ve rescued from the heartache. But this was not to be, due to his single choice. However, despite the poor choice he had just chosen, not all would be lost. 

There was always hope for change, for a second chance, for eventual renewal – even when part of the journey was a terrible one. 

There was tired sigh. 

“Well, this nightmare certainly is disturbing,” said Slade. “I don’t understand why you would be having such a nightmare and a recurring one at that. Perhaps your mind is worried about something? _Mmm_ … You aren’t playing any violent video games or watching any movies of that sort, are you?” 

“No, sir,” said Dick, shaking his head and beginning to feel sleepy again. “Beast Boy likes to get those old horror movies, but they’re not _this_ scary. Gotham feels like a happy unicorn fairy tale compared to this nightmare.” 

Slade snorted. 

“That is far more disturbing than I can begin to state.” There was another exhale of breath and a pat on the back. “All right, imp, time for bed.” 

“Mmm…” murmured Dick, tightening his hold around Slade’s neck. He was too comfortable to be moved at that moment. He wanted to stay in these warm, protecting arms all night long. He felt the gentle tremors of chuckling melding into his body. The man that he refused to let go slowly stood, hefting him up into the air. Dick’s legs automatically curled upward, just as arms move to support his weight; a gentle hand patting his seat. 

In his sleep muddled mind, Dick had to admit, he rather liked being carried like this. There were times when he hated being treated like a child. But this side of being a child he could get used to all too well. When he was younger, after the deaths of his parents, he hadn’t known such things. Bruce never carried him like this, nor did he offer any physical affection. Dick had been starved for it, but had buried that need deep within his heart. 

But now, there was no need to bury it. He could have as much as he wanted whenever he wanted. And at that very moment, he was exhausted. What better time for his father to carry him to bed and tuck him in – all to chase away the nightmares? And with that thought in his mind, Dick began to slip in and out of sleep, basking in the warmth and protection that he felt. 

All because of those strong arms. 

Slade stepped down the hallway and to the boy’s bedroom; holding the extremely tired boy in his arms. He found that he wasn’t at all bothered by the task. Once he entered the bedroom, he lowered the boy to sit onto the bed. Dick’s shirt was dirty from the strenuous day of training and in no condition to be slept in – neither were his pants. With a sigh, He pulled Dick to his feet – although, the child wavered precariously, his eyes blinking drowsily – and he patted the sleepy boy on the cheek, trying to rouse him. 

“Dick, you need to change. Your clothes are filthy.” 

The boy mumbled something underneath his breath. Slade tried to coax him out of sleep, but it just wasn’t working. The boy was shot finally – exhaustion complete. Then, the boy lifted his arms and a content, almost childlike expression filled his young features. Slade raised an eyebrow, letting out a snort once he realized what was going on. 

“I am not going to dress you, you silly boy.” 

Slade was met with that pleasant, contented expression; those arms never moving down. Even in his sleep, the adorable brat was stubborn. Slade bit back a sigh and grabbed the bottom of the boy’s shirt, effectively lifting it away from his body. Arms collapsed at his sides, the boy slightly wavering and blinking sleepily once more. Just as Slade was going to toss the shirt aside, he stopped suddenly, seeing the marred scars that decorated the bare skin. He could readily see the three bullet wounds that had been left by the Joker. 

One resided on his arm, another on his shoulder, and the final visible one marked a section in his chest – one that was dangerously close to his heart. Slade found himself lifting a hand to lightly touch that scar. His throat contracted as he swallowed, pain clenching his heart as his finger glanced against the scar. 

Slade had to consider the boy lucky. Bullet wounds didn’t always heal nicely, especially when shot at such a close distance. The scar tissue was more than apparent on the boy’s skin, but it wasn’t horrible as some of the healed wounds Slade had seen in Vietnam. 

The bullet wounds had sunken into Dick’s skin, however. It was obvious he’d been shot – a small, gaunt section of skin which attested to a hole once being there. How _awful_ that such a mark had its placing on this child’s body. And what was worse? There was _more than one_. The boy had been shot _four times_ , the other unseen one on his calf. He’d been an even younger child than he was now when it had occurred. He’d been through so much at such a tender age. 

And even before that… 

Slade had seen it once before. It had been about six months ago, two months into the time Slade had taken the boy away from the Tower. Dick had burned himself somehow while cooking and had shed his shirt in the process. When Slade had seen the bullet wounds for the first time, after only hearing about them, the sight of them had turned his stomach with nausea. 

But then, he had forced the boy around to show him further scars that he’d been trying to hide from Slade. 

What Slade had been expecting, he still wasn’t sure. The boy had acted embarrassed about showing his scars. Slade had figured some adolescent reason for the shy, yet nervous way Dick had backed away from him. He had also figured it couldn’t have been a big deal – and his ‘apprentice’ should have no secrets from him. 

Well, that was what he had thought at the time. 

But one thing Slade was sure of, he hadn’t been expecting to see the ridged, striped skin of lash marks on the boy’s back. They crisscrossed the majority of his lower torso with a few stray stripes on his upper torso. The skin had healed, the color unchanged much, but the lash was a horrible creature; creating risen flesh to forever scar the young boy’s skin. For the amount of scars that resided on Dick’s back, Slade estimated that he had to have received around twenty lashes. 

All twenty of them had been lashed with unforgiving evil across an eleven year old’s back. 

Slade blinked, his mood awakening from his deep thinking as Dick suddenly plopped onto the bed, still half asleep. He lifted his legs slightly, wiggling them once. A soft chuckle escaped Slade’s lips, the dark mood lifting slightly. Even with the horrific past, the boy was still that: _a boy_. The last time he had dressed a child for bed had been _many_ years ago. He never imagined he would find himself in this situation again. He briefly wondered if Dick were taking _full_ advantage of having a parent again in his life. 

 _Probably was_. 

 _Well_ , there was no real harm with indulging the child. 

Although, Slade had an inkling that if the boy had been awake and possessed his full senses, he would’ve been undeniably embarrassed about standing in the same room with his father, wearing only a pair of boxers – of which design and color would remain unknown for the poor boy’s sake. 

Needless to say, Slade didn’t allow the half awake, pleasantly contented, and thoroughly oblivious child to remain so for long. He quickly retrieved a long shirt from one of the drawers. When Slade had turned back to slip it over the boy’s head, he stopped short, sharply inhaling and feeling the air nearly strangle him. 

Dick had turned around and was fiddling with the blankets in his tiredness, trying to find something beneath them; all the while giving Slade a full view of those old scars. 

Slade’s breath was caught in his throat, nearly suffocating him. 

He never wanted to see them again. 

But they were burning inside his eye once more. Slade swallowed, closing his eye briefly and wishing he could block out the image. No child should’ve gone through something like that – especially when that child was Dick. He was such a special boy. His heart was unlike anything Slade had ever had the privilege of knowing. Despite the silly mistakes that Dick sometimes made, there was just something _so good_ about him. 

In a swift moment, Slade had opened his eye again and was at Dick’s side; quickly turning him around, lifting his arms up, and slipping the nightshirt over his thin body – effectively blocking out all old scars. Dick’s hair became ruffled like a bird’s nest, but he still had that sappy, pleasant look on his face. Slade helped the exhausted boy into bed, easily tucking him in underneath the warm comforter. 

A contented sigh passed from Dick’s lips as he settled softly. Slade carded a hand through the boy’s hair; lacing his fingers through those black strands. 

“Why does everything bad happened to you?” murmured Slade in question. It had been a quiet question, one spoken to the universe and not to an actual person. Thus, Slade was a little startled to hear a reply from the half asleep child. 

“Not everything… bad,” whispered Dick, his voice mumbled with his tiredness. 

“Oh?” responded Slade, matching the boy’s whisper; not really believing his answer. How could he? The child had been through so much terror in his young age. “Name one good thing that’s happened to you, hm?” 

“ _You_.” 

Slade inhaled sharply. The boy had spoken almost instantly, without delay nor long thought – as if the very term had been ingrained inside his heart. Such an answer came when the child wasn’t fully aware of himself; therefore, it could’ve only come from the heart. Dick meant that single word with his very soul. Already, the boy was breathing deeply, unaware of just how much he had touched his father’s heart, mind, and soul. 

Slade swallowed once, his throat contracting somewhat as it pushed the lump down that had built inside. 

He leaned down, gently brushing black bangs from the boy’s forehead with a thumb; his fingers sliding into the hair near the temple. For a moment, he hesitated. It was very brief, however, and he gave into his fatherly instincts ever so effortlessly. Slade pressed his lips against the child’s brow and kissed him softly. 

“ _Good night, son_ ,” whispered Slade. “ _Sweet dreams_.” 

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Nine: Tact – The Tower goes through a number of conflicting emotions with enough puppy love to make certain people sick, and Dick cannot help but begin to go insane. And through it all, Beast Boy discovers the difference between tack and tact, while Dick learns that some children aren’t always as blessed as he was to have a father like Slade in his life.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Next update will be on **June 20th** , Friday!


	9. Tact

**Chapter Nine**

**Tact**  

 

 **May 4th, 2009. Monday, 9:15 am.**  

Dick was exhausted. 

Not physically, of course. He’d had plenty of sleep and it was a lovely morning at that. No, he was mentally exhausted. He was almost dreading going back to the Tower today and spending the night there. He had greatly enjoyed being back home where everything was pretty peaceful. On the nights he was supposed to spend at home, he always left the Tower around five o’clock, although yesterday, he had spent the day with Slade and Wintergreen. 

But that still left plenty of hours in the day. 

He groaned, dropping his head onto the surface of the kitchen table and rubbing his forehead against the soft texture of the tablecloth. 

It’d been a slow week. There hadn’t been any trouble whatsoever and Dick supposed that was a good thing. It meant that criminals knew to keep their noses clean or else the Teen Titans would kick their butts and throw them into jail. 

But it also meant there was more time for his friends to spend together and for some reason lately that was not a good thing. In fact, it was a _terrible_ thing. No, now Dick was officially dreading going to the Tower today. But he had no choice. The Tower would probably blow up in emotional explosions if he weren’t there to calm the storm. 

And why was that? 

Because there was an intense amount of friction between three members of the Tower; namely Raven, Beast Boy, and Terra. Dick hadn’t ever believed in the term ‘teen angst’ before. _Teen angst?_ What the heck was that? What kind of nonsense was that?! He could understand _angst_ , having experienced quite a bit in his life, but the kind of _teen angst_ that was going on in the Tower made him want to roll on the floor in frustration. 

 _He hated it_. 

And the shocking thing about it all? No one was really noticing what was going on. It was small enough to go under the radar, but Dick did his best to notice the little things. After all, he could read Slade pretty well and trying to read that man was a near unattainable feat. 

But the growing tension between the three culprits was literally crawling over Dick’s skin. You could cut the tension with a butter knife. It was driving Dick _crazy_. He just didn’t like that level of simmering contention. 

Thus, Beast Boy was a lovesick puppy, Terra was either oblivious or purposely not noticing the green changeling’s sickness, and Raven was irritable. 

The other three Titans – namely Dick, Cyborg, and Starfire – were not included in this mess. It was a nightmare. Dick always hated romance triangles in media, whether it be in graphic novels, books, or movies. To see and experience it in person was _the most painful_ thing he’d ever experienced – and he’d had his hide walloped by Slade before! More often than he’d care to admit, actually, but that was another story. 

He was only an observer, on top of it all. He couldn’t imagine what it was like for Raven or Beast Boy. Although, the younger boy was probably oblivious, too – in his case – to Raven’s feelings. But Beast Boy was naturally unobservant; thus, trying to figure out Raven, who was naturally impassive and unreadable, would be a nigh impossible task for the young thirteen year old. 

Besides, the _only_ thing – or person, in this case – that Beast Boy was paying attention to was Terra. The overactive changeling couldn’t figure out Raven on a good day, let alone in his current condition. 

Of course, Beast Boy was a kid that didn’t know the definition of _tact_ – in more ways than one. That was why he was downright obvious about his affections for Terra. Even a bright, green neon sign flashing, _“I LIKE TERRA!”_ fifty million times above his head wouldn’t have been as obvious as his actions attested to so perfectly. 

Dick couldn’t say that Beast Boy loved the girl, though. He knew that saying _“I love you”_ to someone was special. Dick liked Starfire, _as a_ _girl_ , and loved her as a friend, but time was needed to go beyond the gentle, innocent _like_ that was inside his heart. He did want to develop that part of his heart, though. 

One day, he wanted to love Starfire with all the energies of his soul. With his current crush, he could say that if there was any girl that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with it was Starfire – but he was only fifteen. There were years to travel before such a time and decision could be made. 

 _But_ … 

It was fun to think about. 

It was fun thinking about the future. It was fun thinking about Slade as a grandfather. How many munchkins could Dick have underfoot before Slade would go insane? Probably two would be the man’s max. He’d gruff and huff over the first, but would be completely _won over_. That first grandchild would totally _own_ Slade; heart, mind, and soul, the man would be so fallen for him or her. 

The second grandchild, Slade would love, too. Well, _of course_ , he’d love all his grandchildren. But that first one would be the apple of his eye, more than likely. 

However, what would happen if the man found himself surrounded by _quite a few_ grandchildren? At such a thought, Dick couldn’t help but snicker under his breath. Slade would probably kill him. No doubt about it. Slade would strangle Dick for having too many grandchildren – or in the very least, attempt to tan his hide. 

 _But_ , by that point, Dick would obviously be an adult. And while Dick didn’t ever plan on leaving Slade – he would definitely bring his wife home – that didn’t mean Slade could tell him what to do any more; not to mention, the man couldn’t wallop him any more at that point. 

At least, that’s what Dick _thought_. Knowing Slade, _anything_ was possible, if the man was ticked off enough. 

But Slade certainly couldn’t control nature. The man was many things, but Mother Nature he was not. If, somehow, by some odd freak of nature, Dick’s wife was going to have _yet another_ child, _well_ , there wasn’t anything Slade could do about it. 

It was certainly an amusing thought process, to say the least. Not to mention, it briefly cleared Dick’s mind of the nonsense that was going on at the Tower. It cheered him up to think about such a fun future – a future where he was still Slade’s son and one where he was continuing with the way of life. 

Would he still do hero work during then? Or would he retire for a time to help raise a family? Perhaps he would take small jobs on the side. Or maybe he’d be so busy with his small, yet ever growing family, he wouldn’t even have time to sleep at night. 

Wouldn’t that be nice? Now _that_ was a good reason to miss sleep. Not these nightmare filled nights that were _still_ plaguing his sleep. He had been lucky, however. _Extremely lucky_. That night Dick had related part of his nightmare to Slade and had been tucked in bed by the man – even in his sleep deprived mind, it still brought a warm glow into Dick’s heart – had been one of the best nights he’d had in over a week. 

That night had been a nightmare free night. 

Perhaps, it had been the sheer peace and safety Dick had felt after being tucked in by his father that had chased away all dark feelings inside his heart. It had been so _beautiful_ , that feeling that had flowed through his entire soul as his father took such gentle and special care of him. 

There was no way a being of evil could withstand the purity of such things. 

But it had only lasted that one night. 

Dick had tried to bring up all those feelings he had felt, trying anything to protect his nights from that horrible nightmare. But it had been in vain. Whether his mind had already slipped from the reoccurring nightmare, or it had been a one time deal, Dick didn’t know. 

All he knew was that he was eternally grateful for that one night. For multiple reasons, actually. In the back of his mind, there was this tiny voice that kept picking at him. He was constantly trying to push it back, but it was a persistent little punk. 

Every time that voice whispered its scolding message, Dick felt a small wave of guilt rise inside his stomach. That voice was correct. _Of course_ , it was correct. There was nothing good about lying to the man. Oh, yes, this is what that little, persistent voice was constantly whispering to Dick. 

 _You lied to Slade_. 

 _You lied to your father._  

Thus, he was thankful that he didn’t have a nightmare that one evening, because the very next morning, Slade had posed the question, “Did you have a nightmare last night?” 

And Dick could happily, _honestly_ , and with a bright smile, reply, “No, sir.” 

And Slade didn’t ask again. That was because Dick was becoming a good actor. He wasn’t sure if that really was a good thing; but, for now, self preservation for the present time was kicking in and hiding his nightmares seemed all too easy compared to the alternative of relating the last horrible part of his dreams. 

It was pretty foolish, to be honest. But Dick was teenager and bound to make stupid decisions once in awhile, even with that smart head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, this was one of those _really_ stupid choices he could’ve made in his life. 

That voice was whispering to him again, telling him to come clean once and for all. 

He ignored it, _again_. 

With a loud sigh, Dick collapsed his arms onto the surface of the table – pushing his plate towards the middle – and rested his chin onto the folded arms. He let out another long sigh, mixed with a groan. 

From his horrible nightmares in his sleep, to his stupid lying about it, to the freaking _‘teen angst’_ at the Tower, he just wasn’t going a moment’s rest, now was he? 

And all through his moaning and groaning, Slade was keeping his eye on the boy; becoming perturbed and worried over what was causing such lamenting noise from his son. 

“Dick, what on earth is the matter with you?” asked Slade finally, watching the boy roll his face against the table for the third time in a row. Even Wintergreen was looking over his paper to glance at the boy. Slade raised an eyebrow as there was yet another long sigh from the child. 

Slade certainly felt concern for his son – more than usual. Something just didn’t seem right. This level of histrionics was a bit too early in the morning. Not to mention, the boy’s nightmares weren’t really normal. But from what he had observed the past few days, everything seemed just fine. Dick looked well and happy, like the joyful child he was supposed to be. It appeared that the nightmares had gone away completely. 

But a part of Slade still worried for the boy. 

There was a despondent grumble from Dick. 

Slade placed a hand onto Dick’s forehead, testing to see if the boy had gotten sick. He seriously hoped that this wasn’t the case; in fact, it would be the only thing he would actually _pray_ for – the world was a better, _happier_ place without the Boy Wonder of Holy Terror. Dick sighed softly, his eyes closing. This reaction made Slade only worry further, now truly wondering if the boy really was ill. He moved his hand from Dick’s forehead to clasp his cheek, his other hand encasing the other cheek. There was a soft, contented expression that filled Dick’s face. A low, almost inaudible giggle lifted into the air. 

“Dad, what are you doing?” 

“Trying to ascertain whether or not you’re sick.” 

The giggle grew in volume. 

“I’m not sick.” 

Slade frowned. Well, the boy didn’t feel overly warm. He seemed perfectly healthy. Even though he was somewhat lethargic at the moment. Dick’s eyes opened, revealing bright, crystal blue orbs. They lifted upward until they settled their gaze onto Slade. Once again, Slade could see the healthy look inside them; though, there was fatigue within them. 

 _A nightmare?_  

Had Dick been plagued with another one of those blasted nightmares? Was that why he was acting so strange? But Slade expected the boy to be forthright with him. He shouldn’t have to ask every day. Dick should be fully honest about it, especially after their discussion about it. 

“Did you have another nightmare?” 

The boy stilled slightly. It was barely noticeable, since he had already been unmoving. There was a short pause. A glimmer of light flashed through Dick’s eyes. 

“No, sir. I didn’t have a nightmare.” 

Those tired, yet bright eyes glanced downward, effectively avoided straight on eye contact with Slade. It _almost_ seemed that Dick was lying. Months ago, Slade would’ve been suspicious and confronted the boy. _But…_ _lying?_ That couldn’t be right. Slade knew the boy wouldn’t lie to him. Dick knew better than that and he had promised, after all. Not to mention, the boy was fully aware of what the consequence would be should Slade ever find out that he had lied to him. 

Lying was not to be tolerated, no matter what, no matter the reasoning; _especially_ since Slade had recently let the boy off the hook for doing something foolish – _dangerously foolish_. Two stupid choices in a row going uncorrected? Not a chance. Dick _knew_ that and he did have a pretty high mode of self preservation with Slade. 

Thus, the thought was pushed out of Slade’s mind. His son couldn’t be lying to him. _Of course, not_. Slade trusted the boy. If his hunch was wrong, Dick would be offended. It would hurt him to know that his father didn’t trust his words alone. _No_. No, there was no way Dick was lying to him, especially over something so simple as nightmares. 

_Surely not._

Slade remained blissfully unaware just how much his gut feeling was absolutely correct. Of course, such bliss never lasted long. 

“Then, what is going on with you?” asked Slade, becoming exasperated that he wasn’t able to find the answers he was seeking. 

“I don’t wanna go to the Tower,” complained Dick, his chin lifting his head as he spoke from the table. Slade raised his eyebrows in surprise. He withdrew his hands from the boy’s face, keeping a light smile hidden when there was a sound of discontentment at their removal – the boy truly loved affection, didn’t he? 

“And just _why_ , might I ask?” said Slade, highly amused now. This was a new one. Since when wasn’t Dick chomping at the bit to get to the Tower as early as possible – even before those ragamuffins woke up? 

There was a low groan and Dick hid his face into the table’s surface, rolling his head side to side slightly. 

“That bad?” 

There was a nod. 

“Good grief, what could be that bad?” 

Dick lifted his head, flopped back to sit in his seat properly, and bemoaned loudly, almost wailing like, “ _Teenage angst!_ ” There was an elaborate huff, before his face became personal with the table’s surface once more. 

Slade blinked, thoroughly thrown off by that answer. It was such a ridiculous answer that Slade couldn’t help but snort into low, chuckling laughter. There was a groan from Dick as he lifted his head. 

“ _Dad_ , it’s not funny,” whined Dick, drawing out his syllables. 

“No,” managed Slade through his chuckles, shaking his head. “ _No, it’s hilarious_.” 

Slade was joined by the old man in the medley of low chuckling. Dick sighed, putting his face into his hands. These two _old_ men were totally laughing at him. Even more laughter flooded through the kitchen; smooth low mixed with aged tenor. 

“Could you two not laugh? This is serious!” 

Slade snorted as he continued to chuckle deeply. 

“Yes, because the woes of teenager angst affects the very universe,” drawled Slade. Dick’s lips twitched at that. He had to admit, it _did_ sound funny. Even though it was just as annoying as trying to open a pickle jar – no, definitely worse. Dick let out another sigh, almost forlorn like this time. Slade shook his head, obviously trying to get ride of his chuckles. Finally, he asked, “All right, joking aside, what is truly making you not want to go to the Tower?” 

“That’s the thing,” said Dick, his deadpan tone rivaling Raven at her best. “I wasn’t joking.” 

Slade raised an eyebrow. 

“What?” 

“I’m dead serious, Dad. There’s some obnoxiously annoying angst going down at the Tower. And _I_ am the lucky guy who gets to deal with it.” 

Dick sighed and slumped his arms onto the table; resting his chin on top of them. He supposed he deserved the laughter and the teasing. Now, on top of the prospect of going to the Tower and enduring a day full of ‘fun’ with his friends, he also had a stomach full of guilt for lying a _second time_ to Slade. 

 _Yay him_. 

“Well, I don’t know why I never thought it possible – _teen angst_ in a tower filled with teens,” said Slade, his sarcastic drawl filled with a teasing tone. “Who would have ever thought?” 

“Dad, be serious. It’s really crazy at the Tower,” said Dick, sighing again, ignoring his father’s amusement. “Beast Boy got himself bit by the love bug. And he’s bit _real bad_.” 

“Oh? And just who is the lucky young lady?” asked Wintergreen, putting his paper down slightly. “Although, thirteen is much too young for love beyond that of little crushes.” 

“It’s the new girl, Terra,” said Dick, sitting up and settling back against the chair. “He’s head over heels for her, but she’s not really noticing it. I have no idea how she’s _not_ noticing – he’s totally obvious about it, not that he’s trying to be.” 

“Beast Boy is that green boy, correct?” asked Slade. When Dick nodded and the man chuckled. “He’s a funny lad, that’s for sure.” 

“Oh?” 

“Remember training?” When Dick nodded, he continued, “He asked me about – and I quote – _hitting_ you for every wrong doing.” A wry smirk lifted Slade’s features. The heat flushed through Dick’s cheeks. _Beast Boy, you idiot!_ Oh, _gosh_ , why did that excitable changeling have to ask that same question _every single time?_ And now he was asking Slade! Ugh, Dick was gonna strangle the kid. 

“He didn’t!” 

“Oh, he did indeed,” said Slade with that same smirk. But then, his expression softened. “He seemed very concerned over that fact. He was worried about whether or not I am fair with you. I had to reassure him that I was. You have good friends who worry over you.” 

“ _Ugh!_ But he’s always asking about this,” snapped Dick, grouchily biting out his words. “He doesn’t think for one minute that it’s not any of his business.” Then, with a lower mutter, “It’s embarrassing enough as it is…” 

Slade chuckled. 

“Stay out of mischief and trouble, and there won’t be any need for it, _hm?_ ” drawled Slade, giving him a teasing pat on the cheek, before sending his hand through Dick’s black hair once again. Dick gave him a smile, appreciating the touch. However, his stomach flopped nervously.

  _Liar._

“It’s like he’s _trying_ to do this to me,” said Dick, continuing to complain and ignoring his flopping stomach. “It’s embarrassing for Beast Boy to run his mouth in front of the others – _the girls, too!_ ” 

There was further chuckling. 

“That would be unfortunate.” 

“ _Dad!_ ” 

“Richard, I don’t think Garfield is trying to be malicious in this,” interjected Wintergreen. Dick blinked, looking over at the old man. Even Slade looked confused by this statement. 

“Who?” asked Dick. 

“Garfield, the changeling.” 

“You mean Beast Boy? Why are you calling him Garfield?” 

“Because that is his name and I would prefer to address him as such,” said Wintergreen, taking a sip from his juice with an air that suggested this was a perfectly normal statement. “And as I was saying, I’m sure there’s a reason why he always asks. You should consider what that might be, you know.” 

“ _Garfield?!_ ” cried Dick incredulously. “That’s his name? How’d you know that?” 

“Honestly, Slade isn’t the only one who has a vast knowledge of things. In fact, there just might be things that _I_ know that he doesn’t.” 

Slade snorted. 

“I seriously doubt that.” 

“You would.” 

“Whoa, hey, I’m still on the subject of Beast Boy’s real name being _Garfield_ ,” cried Dick, stopping the two men before they could go back and forth. 

“You best watch what you say, since yours is not much better,” said Wintergreen with a playful quip to his tone. Dick flushed deeply and folded his arms, huffing lightly as he flopped against the back of his chair again. 

“My name is just fine.” 

“Of course, it is,” said Wintergreen, although he looked extremely amused all the same. 

“It’s takes a real man to be named _Dick_ ,” drawled Slade, heavy mischief oozing from his tone. 

Dick groaned and placed his face into his hands, feeling the heat radiate from his skin. There was more amused chuckling and laughing, which only made Dick flush even more. Maybe leaving for the Tower wasn’t so bad after all. There he could save the world from an all out battle between Titans. Here, he was just stuck getting teased all day. 

Then again, dealing with the Tower nonsense didn’t sound all that fun. Oh, choices, choices, what was a young teen hero to do, hm? 

“Well, since you seem to have such a difficult time with your friends, why not ditch the overly dramatic teens for a day with your father, hm?” suggested Slade. Dick lifted his face to see that he was giving him a rare, genuine smile. At that, a warmth flooded over Dick’s skin in a gentle, glowing swell of the heart. He liked hearing that. He loved seeing that expression, rare as it was, on the man’s face. 

 _Such a difference._  

Dick sighed. “I’d really like that, Dad. But I don’t think I can do that today. Yesterday, it felt like Raven was gonna blow at any moment because of Beast Boy and I really need to be there to play mediator.” 

He hoped Slade wouldn’t be too disappointed. He really rather had spent some more time with Slade, instead of dealing the nonsense that was seeping through the Tower. Of course, on a good day, he really enjoyed being with his friends and fighting crime. 

Dick just didn’t like playing peacemaker and mediator, because that meant there wasn’t peace in the first place. 

Somehow, he earned himself a playful, yet gentle ruffle of the hair, fingers carding their way through his ungelled raven black locks. The genuine smile on Slade’s face hadn’t faded and now his grey blue eye was shining with a pleased light. 

“Good luck, then,” said Slade, his hand rearranging the locks of hair that came near Dick’s ear – obviously in the effort to continue to offer the gentle affection. “You’re a good friend.” 

Dick flushed slightly; the praise was not unwelcome, however. 

“Will you be home for dinner?” asked Wintergreen. 

“No, I’ll stay at the Tower tonight,” answered Dick, grabbing his half filled cup of juice and downing it. Once finished, he took a deep breath as he set the glass down onto the table. “Not sure about tomorrow, even though it’s my night to stay. It just depends how much I want to bash my head against the wall.” 

Slade’s lips quirked upward at that, since Dick had delivered the line with perfect clarity and in all seriousness. Dick gave his father a smirk that he had gleaned from the man, only to receive one in return, along with another ruffle of the hair. 

“Off with you, imp,” said Slade, amusement leaking into his tone. A moment later, Dick had gotten out of his seat and gave the two men a wave of the hand. 

“See ya tomorrow!” 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **May 4th, 2009. Monday, 10:23 am.**  

It wasn’t all that early, really. After ten o’clock in the morning truly wasn’t obnoxiously early. _Really_. Thus, no one should’ve been _this_ cranky. There had been plenty of time for everyone to get enough sleep. But for some reason, some certain persons of the Teen Titans were just that – _cranky_. 

Namely Raven. 

Dick was still considering jumping ship altogether and fleeing back home to the safety and refuge that was the haunt. Being the leader was extremely difficult at times. He had left on Saturday with the Tower relatively in good working order. 

Something had happened between Saturday and Monday – what that was, Dick wasn’t sure he wanted to find out. As he entered the long hallway of the first floor, he could hear the yelling that was happening on upper level – _it was that loud_. Groaning, Dick darted forward, taking the small stairs two by two, and willed the elevator to go faster than what was actually possible. The doors slowly closed shut as Dick abused the button for the main floor. 

Why was it when you needed to be somewhere quickly that time seemed to slow down _just_ to be cruel to you? 

That’s how it felt for Dick at that very moment. He impatiently watched the dial that changed the floor numbers. He tapped his foot and bounced his leg nervously. The shouting was getting louder. _Finally_ , the elevator stopped, the doors slowly opening. Dick crammed his way through the partially opened doors and bolted down the hallway. He nearly smashed into the main room doors as they slid open. 

He instantly ducked. 

The object in question missed his head and as the rank, rancid smell assaulted his senses, he was suddenly thankful for all the training he’d endured through the years. He gagged as it caught his breath even harder. It was mixture of century old dirty socks and bread mold with just a hint of bathroom and used kitty litter. 

“Hold still.” 

“Rae, calm down! Ca–can’t we talk about this?” 

“ _Beast Boy! Hold still!_ ” 

Dick straightened and took in the scene before himself. Yup, he should’ve stayed home today. 

Raven was royally infuriated. It was no wonder, honestly. Dick was aware of the game that Beast Boy and Cyborg just _loved_ to play. He wasn’t exactly a fan of it. After a game of stank ball, the entire Tower needed airing out. It was fun for about five minutes before the Tower smelled like gym locker that was once an old bathroom that had never gotten cleaned. Not a pleasant combination at all. 

Somehow, it seemed, that someone – that someone probably being Beast Boy – had managed to land a stank ball right in Raven’s face. Dick could see the remnants of whatever those two boys put into it dripping down her face. Her eyes were flared with pure fury. Raven was downright _terrifying_. Not to mention, she was wielding three stank balls and was attempting to nail Beast Boy with them. 

Dick held up his hands. 

“Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ , freeze everyone!” 

And that was what everyone did. Starfire froze, midflight, while Cyborg looked both alarmed and relieved that Dick had arrived. Beast Boy rushed to Dick’s side and hid behind him. Terra had a tired, frustrated expression as she watched the chaos. 

“Robin! Raven’s gonna kill me!” whimpered Beast Boy, his voice loud from behind Dick. 

“Can someone explain what is going on around here?” said Dick, honestly not caring where the question came from, so long as he got an answer. He glanced over at Raven, who appeared to be having an emotional breakdown – something Dick had never seen the girl go through before. Finally, he saw her snap, almost hearing the cord of her sanity snapping with an echoing sound. 

“Just leave me _alone!_ ” cried Raven, the stank balls exploding. Their horrid smell flooded through the air instantly, just as Raven fled the room, the sliding doors shutting closed. Stunned silence met the remaining members. Starfire slowly lowered to the ground, looking saddened. Dick sighed, putting a hand to his forehead and shaking his head. After a moment, he lifted his face. 

“What on _earth_ is going on around here?” demanded Dick, feeling exasperated now and feeling angry that Raven had been pushed to such a point. 

“We were trying to convince Raven to play with us!” said Beast Boy, sounding indignant and whiny at the same time. “But she wouldn’t, so I nailed her with a stank ball.” 

“How are you still _alive?_ ” asked Dick incredulously. At Beast Boy’s indifferent shrug, Dick felt the annoyance rise inside his chest. “Look, you guys can’t push Raven like this. She obviously didn’t want to play. You shouldn’t have forced her.” 

“But—” 

“This isn’t an option, you know,” snapped Dick with firmness. “Forcing her to do stuff will only drive her away and make her angry. You should respect what she wants.” 

“We just wanted her to play with us!” cried Beast Boy, folding his arms childishly. “It’s not a big deal.” 

“Yes, it is,” said Dick, grinding out the words through his irritation. Why couldn’t Beast Boy show more respect to Raven? Yeah, it was more than apparent that he was trying to show off in front of Terra, but she didn’t seem interested at all. “Dad tells me all the time that respect is needed. It should be the same with us as well. We should show each other the same level of respect we would want in return.” 

“Yeah, but with Slade—” 

Dick could already see where this train of thought was going as the changeling opened his mouth. His young, excitable friend was about to say something that would cause no end of embarrassment in front of his friends – in front of Starfire no less. _He could just see it_. He’d had done this last week, after Slade had taken him home; asked him about _how_ Slade had punished him, since the man had obviously been upset with him. But on top of it all, the boy was about to talk about it in front of the one person in the room who wasn’t exactly aware of the situation he had with his father. 

All sense of self preservation kicked in as Dick grabbed Beast Boy around the neck, effectively covering his wayward mouth just in time. There was an _oomph_ as all sound was cut off. 

“Will you excuse us for a few minutes?” said Dick through smiling, yet gritted teeth. 

Without even waiting for a reply from the others, Dick half pulled, half dragged Beast Boy away from the group. The sliding doors of the main room opened as Dick continued to drag the younger boy along. Finally, when they reached the hallway, Beast Boy began to protest. 

“Robin, what’s going on? Why are you—” 

“Be _silent_ ,” hissed Dick, transferring his hold onto Beast Boy’s thin upper arm. The younger boy seemed to freeze at his voice. “You and I are gonna have a discussion in my room about this.” 

Immediately, Beast Boy dug his heels into the carpet of the flooring. As Dick looked back, he saw pure horror cross the younger boy’s face. 

“B–b–b–but what did I do? I didn’t— _you can’t!_ ” 

Dick could only look at the younger boy, his eyebrow raised. If he had seen the scene outside of himself, he would’ve been vividly reminded of Slade and certain son of his. Luckily, he didn’t need to do so to realize what had Beast Boy in such a horror. Dick snorted at the irony of it all. 

“Trust me, Beast Boy. It’s not _that_ kind of discussion,” said Dick, trying to keep his expression stern, instead of the smirking one that was threatening to break out all over his face. “Although, after the _umpteenth_ _time_ of you doing this to me – and now Raven –  I honestly thought about sending you to Dad or even Will for _that_ sort of discussion, trust me.” 

“D–doing what to you?” stammered Beast Boy nervously. 

“Oh, that’s what the discussion is gonna be about.” 

With that, Dick continued to pull the changeling along. He wasn’t met with much resistance now, but he could feel the other boy’s worry. Well, he _should_ be worried. Dick was about to blow a gasket. First, the crazy tension in the Tower, now this – he was seriously done with the changeling’s inconsiderate ways. And especially on _this_ topic. _Honestly_ , didn’t he have _any_ decorum at all? Didn’t he realize that talking about getting your butt walloped by your father was _embarrassing to no end?!_  

He didn’t need the whole freaking world to know and at this rate, he’d be the laughing stock of Jump City. 

 _“And now in Hero news, Robin, the spunky Boy Wonder, had better toe the line just perfectly, because according to this inside reporter, his father is the type to take him in hand. Watch out, villains, Robin’s pop might tan your hide as well.”_  

That would be Dick’s obituary announcement. 

And probably Beast Boy’s as well. 

There were a few whimpers of nervousness coming from the boy behind Dick, but he ignored it. First, he was going to teach Beast Boy what he was doing to him, then he would be soft. It was, after all, the way Slade dealt with him and it actually worked. 

Shocker.

Within a few moments, Dick had reached his room. The door slid open and Dick walked through instantly, still dragging the reluctant Beast Boy with him. 

“Sit down on the couch,” instructed Dick, fully unaware of how much he sounded like his father at that moment as he pointed at the couch at the back of the first section of his room. Beast Boy’s eyes were wide with worry as he slowly walked to his destination, tentatively sitting down on the edge of his seat. He swallowed once, watching Dick like a hawk as he walked to a shelf– actually, more like a deer in headlights. 

Dick grabbed a large book from his shelf – a heavy weight dictionary – and walked over to the young boy that was sitting on the couch. 

“Beast Boy, do you know what tact is?” 

“Y–you mean that sticky stuff that can hold up pictures on the wall?” 

“Not _tack_ , I’m talking about _tact_.” 

Beast Boy ducked his head, biting his lower lip while twisting his hands nervously in his lap. He glanced up at Dick and slowly shook his head. 

“I figured as much, since you have none.” 

The heavy book was dropped a foot above Beast Boy’s legs, causing him to flinch backwards against the against the couch. Dick instantly knelt down in front of the book and flipped through the pages, coming to the entry he wanted. He turned the book over and pointed at it. 

“Read it.” 

“But—” 

“Out loud.” 

Beast Boy bit his lip again, glancing between Dick’s firm stare and the page of the book in his lap. With a light sigh, he looked down to read. 

“A–a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense… Uh… skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations…” 

Beast Boy’s lips began to trembled as he looked at the book in his lap, pausing for a few moments. His hands tensed against the edges of the pages. Dick could tell that, already, the words were beginning to affect the younger boy. 

“Keep going,” pressed Dick. Beast Boy swallowed once, biting his lower lip for another moment, before he continued. 

“Uhm, a keen sense of what is appropriate, tasteful, or–or asth… ess… uhm—” 

“Aesthetically.” 

“R–right, aes–aesthetically pleasing—” He still struggled over the word. Those dark green eyes were beginning to glisten. “—Uh… The ability to do or say things without offending or upsetting other people…” 

There was a sniffle from the boy as he looked down at the words on the paper. He drew his hand up, the palm rising to wipe away a stray tear that had fallen, his wrist sliding across the bottom of his nose. Dick’s sternness softened as he stood up, grabbing some tissues from off the table and handing them to Beast Boy. He sat down next to his young friend. 

“This is what you’ve lacked recently,” whispered Dick, keeping his tone gentle. “Whether with me or with Raven. – you shouldn’t push her. And whenever you talk about Dad punishing me, it’s really embarrassing for me – especially in front of the girls. If you’re really curious, if you _really_ have to know, then ask me privately.” 

“I wasn’t—I wasn’t trying to—” 

Beast Boy’s voice cracked and he ducked his head more. Dick slowly wrapped an arm the younger boy’s waist and brought him close into a hug at his side. Beast Boy responded to it, leaning against Dick’s shoulder and resting his head there. 

“BB, why _do_ you always ask?” said Dick, his voice a low whisper. “You’re obviously not _trying_ to embarrass me, right?” There was a shake of the head. “So, why do you do it?” 

There was a shrug of the shoulders and another sniffle. Dick nudged Beast Boy in the ribs gently, causing him to squirm and give out a small giggle. 

“Well?” 

Beast Boy let out a low sigh, but he remained quiet. A few moments passed, until there was a low mewling sound. Dick glanced over to see Kuroi coming up to them, mewling and purring for attention. Beast Boy seemed to brighten by her arrival and when she leapt into Dick’s lap without any encouragement, he moved her to Beast Boy’s lap. Kuroi purred deeply as the younger boy began to stroke her fur. 

Her softness and Dick’s gentleness seemed to open the young boy up. 

“I was just… I was just worried about you, okay?” 

“Worried?” 

“Yeah, everything _seemed_ normal, but I couldn’t know for sure, you know? You seemed all right with Slade… you know… But you could just be covering up for what he’s really doing to you, because you grew to like him. He could be really cruel to you. He could be really unfair to you. But I don’t know…” 

He continued to stroke the black fur that purred beneath his fingers. 

“BB, but why are you so worried about me? I’ve said that everything was all right before.” Dick let out a sharp sigh, thinking about Cyborg. “Why does no one believe me?” 

Beast Boy bit his lower lip again and looked away, shrugging slightly. The gentle purring of Kuroi was the only thing that could be heard. Dick couldn’t understand why the boy always asked and why he was worried. There was nothing to worry about. Well, _okay_ , there was, especially now with Dick lying to Slade, but it wasn’t like the man would beat him for it – his hide would certainly feel walloped, though. 

 _“I’m sure there’s a reason why he always asks. You should consider what that might be, you know.”_  

The old man’s words lifted into Dick’s mind. He hadn’t been paying attention to what he’d been saying, since Dick had been too caught up in the moment of Beast Boy’s real name. What had Wintergreen meant by that? 

“Beast Boy…” began Dick slowly, questions and thoughts forming; a deep realization coming to the foremost of his mind. “Have you experienced a less than healthy relationship with a father?” 

Beast Boy stiffened. Even Kuroi became quiet. Alarm flooded through Dick’s heart. Was that what Wintergreen had been alluding to? If he had known Beast Boy’s real name, who knew what more he had knowledge of – that old man was surprising. 

“I’m gonna take that as a yes. Who was it?” 

Beast Boy only shook his head, his lips tightening. He stopped petting the kitten and clasped his hands together. Kuroi didn’t like this new development and tried to butt her head against those hands, but to no avail. She continued, undaunted, however. 

“Come on, Beast Boy, talk to me.” Dick wrapped his arm around the younger boy again and brought him close for a hug. “I’m not going to tell anyone, okay? Just between you and me. Sound good?” 

There was a long moment of silence where Beast Boy didn’t move at all. The only sign of life came from the twisting motions that he was making with his hands inside his lap. The kitten purred deeply, rubbing against his hands. He swallowed once more, his lips trembling harder. Finally, Beast Boy gave him a small nod. But he didn’t speak up right away. He appeared to be having trouble voicing anything. 

Dick only tightened his hold around the younger boy, leaning against the back of the couch and letting Beast Boy rest at his side. At first, he was stiff within the hug, but slowly he began to loosen up; thus, as did his tongue. Kuroi won her placing beneath Beast Boy hands once again, the stroking of her fur resuming. Dick was thankful for her presence, because she added kindness to the moment. In a soft whisper, the softest Dick had ever heard Beast Boy speak, words formed in the air. 

“Mento… he wasn’t exactly…” 

Dick felt his body stiffen slightly and, in turn, the boy at his side stiffened as well. Dick tried to loosen himself up, releasing part of his hold to card a hand through green hair. 

It was just how Dick would’ve responded if Slade had done the same thing to him in a moment of tenseness. Beast Boy seemed to melt from the gentle touch, his body slackening against Dick’s side and deeper into the hug. There was some more sniffling and a few shuddering breaths. 

Dick had teased Beast Boy about being on the end of ‘firm parenting’ when the younger boy had been so inquisitive about it. But now Dick wasn’t so sure if it had been all that good for Beast Boy. Sure, with Slade, it wasn’t pleasant – wasn’t supposed to be, obviously – but in the end, Dick knew where he stood with the man and why he chose such a punishment. Not that he liked it at all. _Nope_. Couldn’t the man just ground him instead now? 

But Slade was _Slade_ , not to mention an ex-military man. Couldn’t exactly change the fact that he required high discipline and high respect. 

“Mento… always expected perfection,” whispered Beast Boy, his voice higher than normal. “And I could never give it to him. I could never follow his _orders_ exactly. I failed him a lot. So… he…” 

Beast Boy trailed off, shivering slightly. Dick calmly continued to offer his support in the only way he could, simply running his fingers through the small bangs that were near the boy’s forehead. It was a moment of softness that rarely occurred between the male members of the team. 

But Dick could see that even Beast Boy needed such kindness. Everyone needed some affection. Dick understood this all too well, needing more than the average boy, he supposed – well, he had missed years of it. He was bound to be thirsty for it. Before, if Dick had been ‘Robin’, such a moment would’ve been missed, because ‘Robin’ wouldn’t have been able to notice something so delicate and tender. 

“What did Mento do when you didn’t follow orders?” asked Dick, his voice soft and barely above a whisper. 

“He’d…” There was a swallow. “He’d punish me. Rita, or Elasti-Girl, she didn’t like the way Mento went about it, but she couldn’t really stop him. She’d always comfort me afterwards. But…” 

There was the trembling of lips again and the bottom lip was tucked beneath teeth. 

“He was never nice about it. He always told me that if I don’t do better, I’ll never be good enough for the team. He was always… harsh with me, no matter what.”

Dick could tell that the discipline exacted against Beast Boy had been done poorly. At least when it came to the way Slade dealt with Dick, he always knew what to expect and why such a punishment was happening. Slade scolded the action, disciplined firmly, and then when it was over and done with, forgave the infraction. Dick always knew he could do better and that he was still loved. 

Everything was laid out with exactness. It was through this that Dick found security in Slade’s words. He trusted the man to be fair, no matter what. 

It seemed that Mento hadn’t been fair at all. 

Slowly, Beast Boy continued. Every word hurt Dick’s heart, just as they had Beast Boy. He felt so bad for the boy. There were so many little things that picked at the boy’s self esteem; eating away at it like acid. 

_“You’ll never learn.”_

_“Why can’t you listen?”_

_“Why can’t you obey a simple order?”_

_“You’ll never be a part of this team at this rate.”_

_“You’re a disappointment.”_  

Why try? After all those cruel words, why would Beast Boy even want to try? Dick certainly didn’t want to. As Beast Boy continued to unveil a number of things, Dick found that he wanted to punch this man in the face. He’d definitely do him that favor the first time he saw Mento. Sure, Beast Boy was a bit rambunctious – okay, _a lot_ – but that didn’t mean that he deserved to have such cruel strictness. 

The things Beast Boy revealed were border lining on emotional abuse. While, yes, Beast Boy had experienced harsh corporal punishment with the man, it hadn’t been abusive. But the emotional abuse was more than apparent. Thank goodness for Elasti-Girl and the other members of the Doom Patrol. If it hadn’t been for their gentle and comforting ways, Beast Boy might not have turned out like he had. 

It might’ve been worse for him. 

It was unrealistic of Mento to have required so much of the young boy. To expect a certain standard was one thing. Dick knew what Slade wanted and expected of him. It was a reachable position as well. But to set the bar so high and then cruelly scold, berate, and criticize when that bar wasn’t reached was too much for a child. And Beast Boy was the youngest – only thirteen. That meant he had to be much younger when with Mento. That was at a sensitive and tender age. 

Dick knew how he felt in some ways. Bruce had been similar in some ways, but he never outright scolded him for failing. He just continued to train him until he reached the height Bruce expected of him. 

“I’m sorry, Beast Boy,” whispered Dick. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that.” 

“It wasn’t all bad,” said Beast Boy, his voice slowly returning to normal. “You experienced worse at the beginning with Slade, didn’t you? This was nothing like that.” 

“BB, don’t dismiss what Mento did,” said Dick, firmly tapping Beast Boy on the shoulder. “There was no reason for him to be so harsh with a young kid. At least Slade was remorseful and even apologized for what he did. He swore never to harm me in such a way again and I trust him.” 

There was a soft sigh. 

“I just… I guess I was just worried that he’d be like Mento,” whispered Beast Boy. “He’s got that scary look about him, you know? And I didn’t want that to happen to you.” 

Dick smiled gently. That was true. When Slade was mad, the man was _frightening_. He could certainly be intimidating, there was no doubt about that. There had been many times Dick had felt that fear. But now, it was a different fear – a fear of disappointing the man. 

A twinge of guilt assaulted Dick’s stomach. He felt ill for a moment, remembering his current sin against his father. Dick pushed it back as far as he could, trying his best to ignore it. 

“You know,” began Dick, hoping to comfort Beast Boy a little more. “I can count on one hand the amount of times Dad’s really walloped my backside.” 

Beast Boy sucked in his breath and glanced upward at Dick, his eyes wide in surprise. 

“What? Really? That’s all?” 

“Yup. Five times. And really only once since he’s adopted me – and I really deserved that one. Do you remember when we went out into space? I scared the man to death by not telling him where I was going, so that was fair – no matter how much I’d rather be grounded.” Dick lifted a spare hand to the back of his neck and scratched nervously as he continued, “And, well, uh… I’ve lost count how many times he’s single swatted me for disrespect or in warning for bad behavior, but that’s definitely different than a full trip.” 

“But—” 

Dick lifted his hand to place on top Beast Boy’s head, ruffling the green hair there. 

“Listen, Dad’s really fair. Trust me on this. Ever since the adoption, he’s been different. Like he acknowledges the fact that I’m his son – even before he gave up being Deathstroke.” 

“Yeah, but…” Beast Boy trailed off again. Dick vaguely wondered if the boy would chew his bottom lip off. He was certainly biting it enough. There was a moment of silence as Beast Boy tried to speak up again. After a couple of bounces of the knee – much to Kuroi’s mewling displeasure – he looked up. “You swear Slade doesn’t hurt you, hurt you? Like, he’s not rough with you?” 

“Beast Boy,” started Dick, his tone completely deadpanned. “A walloping hurts. Of course, it’s not pleasant. But… he’s soft afterwards and I always know I’m forgiven, that I can do better. Is that what you mean?” 

Beast Boy only nodded his response. There was soft sigh and Dick could feel all the strength leave the boy’s body. He leaned into Dick more, resting his head against the shoulder provided. 

“Beast Boy… was Mento rough with you?” asked Dick, hating the question. Now he could understand Cyborg’s feelings when it came to Slade. But, at least, Slade had sworn never to harm Dick in such a way ever again. There had been no repentance from Mento for his harshness. 

Beast Boy shrugged. 

“Not exactly rough… Maybe he was harder than normal? I’m not really sure what’s normal, though. My… parents… they never were harsh with me. They never…” 

The unspoken was clear. 

“Do you love Mento as a second father? Did you want him to be that for you?” 

Beast Boy bit his lower lip. Dick could see the struggle that the younger boy was going through. It was so similar to his own struggle that he’d had with Bruce, it was uncanny. A soft light entered Beast Boy’s eyes. 

“I just wanted his approval,” whispered Beast Boy, his voice trembling, as if he didn’t want to say it out loud. But he continued on, never stopping, “But I was never good enough for him. That’s why I ran away. I kept in touch with Elasti-Girl, so she wouldn’t worry about me. She was a really good second Mom. But it’s obvious Mento doesn’t care about me. Not really. And I couldn’t stay because of it. If he did care, he would’ve come and taken me back. But he didn’t. So, he doesn’t care.” 

Dick sighed, feeling the same pain that had attacked his own heart mere months ago. Slade had filled that part and had filled that role. Every child needed a parent, someone to love them and guide them. The entire Teen Titans were just a bunch of misfit children who were without the guidance of parents. It was pretty sad, to be honest. Somehow, Dick was _extremely_ lucky. 

“I thought the same about Bruce,” said Dick softly. Beast Boy looked up and Dick could see the glimmer of tears shining inside those dark green eyes. They latched onto him, soaking up whatever comfort was to be given – thus, Dick made sure he did just that. With a tighter squeeze, he continued, “I left Gotham and I waited for him to show up and drag my butt back. But he never came. I’m still not sure why he never came back for me. In some ways, I resent him for that; but, for the most part, I’m glad that he didn’t. Because then, I wouldn’t have ever met Slade and he would have never became my father. It’s a crazy twist of fate, but the best kind.” 

Dick smiled down at the younger boy. 

“It’s the same for you. We’re your family now. Dad and Will included.” Beast Boy looked surprised by this, making Dick laugh lightly. “I bet in a month, Dad’ll totally be a surrogate father to _all_ the Teen Titans. Cy, too, even if he doesn’t like it at first.” 

 _Heh, I’m sure Dad will just love that._  

“Do you really mean that? A family?” asked Beast Boy, his eyes bright with longing. Dick gave him another hug, this time throwing his other arm around the boy and effectively squishing him. Kuroi mewled in protest about being in the middle. 

“Of course! You act like an annoying, but adorable little brother already,” said Dick teasingly. This was met with laughter and giggles. There was a few moment tender moments of this, before Beast Boy stilled. He grew somber, making Dick stop and watch him. Then, a soft voice lifted into the air. 

“Dick…” 

Beast Boy fidgeted for a moment, glancing down at the floor. Dick sucked in his breath softly, a little surprised that the younger boy had used his name. None of the other Titans had gotten used to his real name yet. Only Starfire ever used it. In fact, she mostly used it over Robin, preferring to call him by name now. Dick found that he still called her Starfire – Koriand’r or Kori meant the same thing anyway. Then, Beast Boy looked up at him, his green eyes glimmering with a gentleness rarely seen in the younger, excitable boy. 

“Do you love Slade? Like… _really_ love him?” 

There was no need to hesitate. 

“Yeah, I love him,” said Dick with a soft smile. “A whole lot at that, too.” 

“Even after… what he did to you?” asked Beast Boy. His tone sounded filled with longing and the need to understand, but there was also a hint of wanting the same thing for himself. “You forgave him and everything?” 

“Sure, because that’s what family does.” 

“But he wasn’t your family. He was even your enemy beforehand.” 

“But he slowly became more than that,” said Dick, shrugging slightly. “At first, yeah, he was my kidnapper and my abuser. But then, slowly – and especially after he changed his tactic, much to my annoyance,” he added dryly. “—he became something different, more like a mentor. He became an adult I could rely on. I could trust his word in everything that he said. And then, somehow, he became like a father, even before he suggested the adoption. In my mind, I had accepted this fact.” 

Beast Boy sighed and looked away. 

“Forgiveness is something that you have to do. It rarely affects the other person. I forgave Slade because he proved that he could change and I needed that. But what if he hadn’t ever changed and I managed to get away from him? It would’ve taken me some time, but I would’ve eventually forgiven him, not because it helps him in any way, but because I have to release the bad feelings to move on.” 

There was silence to this at first. Then, Beast Boy sighed deeply. 

“I want to forgive Mento… But he doesn’t even care. It doesn’t matter, really. I just wanted…” 

Dick’s heart broke. He could hear the unsaid words, because he had thought them himself. He had only wanted love and approval from Bruce, just like Beast Boy wanted that from Mento. What was so hard about giving that? It didn’t cost anything to offer such things. No one’s arm would fall off, nor even a leg. It wasn’t hard to be _kind_. 

“I wanted the same,” whispered Dick. “And I found it and you can, too.” 

Beast Boy smiled at him. 

“Thanks… Dick. You know, when you told us that Robin was someone different, I couldn’t understand it. I was sad that my old friend was gone. But now I understand and I think ‘Dick’ is a really nice person. I’m glad he’s here for me. Thanks for listening and talking with me.” 

Dick laughed and ruffled the younger boy’s hair affectionately. Beast Boy made complaining noises, but he looked pleased anyway. 

“You can talk to me anytime and I’ll listen. You’re my friend and surrogate brother. We’re family – all of us.” 

Beast Boy beamed at him and nodded, “Mhm!” 

With another laugh, Dick gave Beast Boy another hearty hug; the air was then filled with plenty of childlike giggles – probably due to the fact that someone’s fingers where tickling a purple clad waist. Within a few moments, the two boys left the room – after saying goodbye to the crying kitten – with Dick’s arm around Beast Boy’s shoulders. By the time they had reached the main room of the Tower, Dick had withdrawn his arm, however. He didn’t want Beast Boy to feel awkward if any of the others saw. 

The moment the doors slid open and they walked inside, they were confronted by Cyborg. He had been standing at the door, as if he had waited there the entire time. 

“Did Rob murder you?” asked Cyborg, almost instantly. Beast Boy got a confused look on his face, while Dick secretly snorted at the question. Why did everyone assume the worst? He had only wanted to _talk_ to Beast Boy, not _kill_ him. 

 _Well_ … 

“Do I look dead to you?” asked Beast Boy, his tone incredulous. Cyborg looked between the two of them, obviously trying to gauge just exactly went on. When there seemed to be nothing wrong with Beast Boy, he visibly relaxed and smirked at the youngest member. Soon, there was a ruffle of dark green hair, along with the protests to that action. 

“What did Robin tell you, anyway?” asked Cyborg, completely ignoring the protests. 

“He just told me to stop being, uh… tactless. That’s all. Now stop with my hair!” 

“That is an impossible feat,” deadpanned Cyborg playfully. Dick groaned as now the air was flooded with arguing between Beast Boy and Cyborg. He could feel a headache coming on _already_. Dick put a hand to his forehead, shaking it slightly. 

Maybe he really should have stayed home today. 

ooOOOOOoo

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Ten: Aged Advice – As the days pass, things only begin to drive Dick even more crazy. In an attempt to find some answers about how to deal with his friends and with his own feelings about Starfire, he goes to Wintergreen for advice. In the quiet moments that follow, Dick learns some things about Wintergreen’s family and even receives a bit of spiritual advice that only the old man could weave.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** I have some good news. Well, I think it’s good news, anyway. You’ll find a bit of foreshadowing in this and future chapters. I’m specifically saying this because some of this foreshadowing will not be fulfilled within Into the Depths. What does that mean? Well, it means that I have officially decided that the world of Forgotten Bonds will be a trilogy. When I was writing FB, I had thoughts about its sequel, but on a small scale. While writing Into the Depths, I have a much bigger plan for the next and I can actually see it. Thus, a bit of foreshadowing is needed. :3
> 
> I’m still on the fence about the title of the third novel, so I won’t be releasing that data. As for the plot, that’s still being worked on, but there are quite a number of things I am sure of. I’m not sure if I’ll release it right after the end of Into the Depths, but nonetheless, a third is for sure. I want to do a trilogy. :) And yes, that’s a trilogy of like 250k+ words for each book. XD Am I crazy? Possibly… 
> 
> But I already knew that.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Next update will be on July 4th, Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	10. Aged Advice

**Chapter Ten**

**Aged Advice**  

 

 **May 8th, 2009. Friday, 10:23 am.**  

“Is it always like this around here?” asked Terra, as Dick plopped down onto the couch next to her. He sighed deeply, feeling extremely worn out. The previous shouting still rang inside Dick’s ears. His head pounded with an intense headache. After a moment, he lifted his head to look at her. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Are you guys always fighting and arguing like this?” 

Dick sighed again, rubbing his eyes with the pads of his finger; the tired soreness not going away. Terra was referring to the argument that had just recently occurred between Raven and Beast Boy. It was really getting worse these past few days. Every time Raven saw Beast Boy around Terra and interacting with her, everything seemed to irritate the empath one hundred fold – even if it were so incredibly simple, like Beast Boy breathing too loudly. 

 _Yeah_ , that’d been one of the argument subjects at one point. 

At the moment, Cyborg had left the main room to console Beast Boy, while Starfire had left to try to bring some comfort to Raven. For what it was worth, anyway. Dick wasn’t exactly going to hold his breath on this matter. 

Throughout the past week, poor Starfire had attempted peacemaking, but she was failing horribly. It wasn’t her fault, though. Her soft ways were just easily passed over and ignored. She tried her best, but Raven was not receptive to anything and Beast Boy was too immature to let any one point go. But Starfire never wavered and kept trying to help maintain some peace in the Tower. Sadly, it did little to lower the contention level. 

For whatever reason, Raven seemed on her last nerve. This level of tension in the Tower was extremely unusual. Arguments between the young changeling and the empath weren’t strange and did happen often; however, there was never this level of animosity. 

To Dick, it appeared that there was something more going on than simple jealousy. Something more was bothering Raven and it was obvious that she didn’t know how to deal with it properly. She was keeping something bottled up inside and while normally that seemed to work for her, the new element with Terra appeared to be tipping her over the edge. 

And all the while, Dick was trying to keep the tempers down as best as he could. He had skipped going home on Wednesday because he had been so worried that the Tower would be destroyed the next day. Unfortunately, he was getting tired and he needed a break. He couldn’t handle this any more. He didn’t want to abandon his friends, but he needed some help and respite from the tension. 

Maybe he couldn’t handle it because the nightmares infringed on his sleep every night. He felt more tired than normal every day. He could see faint markings beneath his eyes that attested to his sleepless nights. He felt worn out, to be honest. 

He missed Slade. He missed Wintergreen. He hadn’t seen them in a week – of course, he missed them. Though, there had been quite a number of phone calls between Dick and his father, and even Wintergreen once talked to Dick. The old man had been blunt and to the point: Dick was missed and he needed to come home as soon as possible. 

Most of all, Dick missed the gentle love that filled his home. While he felt less guilty about lying to Slade when he was at the Tower, he desperately missed his father’s comforting gestures. They weren’t blatant things. They were simple, gentle, and best of all, they were becoming more and more frequent. 

The Tower was missing that gentleness now and Dick desperately needed to figure out how to restore it. He missed having that harmony between friends. 

“Aha,” began Dick, scratching at the back of his neck nervously. He wasn’t sure what to say. No, it wasn’t normally like this. But in some ways, it was. There was just something different now. He managed to say, “Well, that’s just friends for you.” 

Terra raised an eyebrow. 

“Is that what you call ‘friends’?” asked Terra, sounding skeptical and derisive. “Because I honestly don’t see it. Raven acts like she hates Beast Boy. In fact, she acts like she hates everyone.” 

 _Actually, I think it’s_ you _she’s unhappy with_ , thought Dick dryly. 

“She doesn’t hate Beast Boy,” said Dick with a smile and a shake of the head. “Raven is just… Raven.” He ended somewhat lamely, feeling there was really no other way to describe the girl. 

“Uh, news flash, Dick: that’s hate,” said Terra flatly. “If that’s what friends are, I’m glad I’ve never had any.” 

Dick’s heart clenched at what the girl just admitted to – a life without friends. 

“Hey, family isn’t perfect,” said Dick, shrugging. “My father is an excellent example of this. I’m not perfect either, but we need to accept the good and bad in everyone. Like with criminals. I accept the fact that they have bad in them, but they also have good, too. Sadly, they have chosen a different path and I have to do my job as a hero to protect the innocents. But with family and friends, we can help each other overcome our faults and weaknesses. True friends stick around through it all.” 

Terra didn’t seem swayed by his words at all. She shook her head. “I still think it’s a waste of effort.” 

“Friends are worth the effort, Terra,” insisted Dick. “Family is worth the effort, too. Trust me, I’ve experienced both sides, so I know. It’s worth it.” 

Terra gave him a shrewd glance, her sky blue eyes darkening as she narrowed them. Then, she leaned back against the couch and the moment she opened her mouth, Dick knew she was going to confront him on something, “You know,” she began casually, though it was anything but that, “People go to jail for kidnapping.” 

Dick narrowed his own eyes. 

“ _Really?_ ” drawled Dick lightly, nearly imitating Slade’s own way of tone. “You don’t say.” 

“You know who I’m talking about,” said Terra, her tone dark. “How can you even stand him after being _kidnapped?_ A lot of psychologists would say you’re going through some mental issues or something. Because staying with the guy that kidnapped you, that ain’t normal.” 

“Since when was anything about the Teen Titans normal?” asked Dick, a smirk tugging harder at his mouth. “I mean, please, out of the group of us, me having a father who kidnapped me first isn’t earth shattering. Come on, Starfire is an alien; Cyborg is part robotic; and Beast Boy is green. _Green_.” 

“He’s not your father, you know,” said Terra, ignoring the side issues and staring at Dick with hard eyes. “You can’t say that in defense. You aren’t related.” 

“Dad _adopted_ me. He has legal right over me,” said Dick, stiffening at her tone and her persistence. He couldn’t understand why she was pressing the subject now. “So, it doesn’t really matter any more.” 

“He still could go to jail if someone pressed charges.” 

“Are you going to press charges?” demanded Dick, his incredulity fully apparent; his feelings of frustration and exasperation rising quickly. “First of all, you weren’t around, so you have no proof. Second, you’re not exactly legal yourself at the moment either.” 

It was Terra’s turn to stiffen now. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty aware of some things,” continued Dick, catching onto her unease. His tone turned serious. “Cyborg said that the tip we got for that scorpion was from a female. Amazing coincidence that _you_ were there at the right time. Don’t you think?” 

“What, you think I sent that tip?” asked Terra, frowning at him; shifting her weight on the couch as she flickered her eyes away. “No way.” 

“Yeah, I do.” Hurt sky blue eyes met his own pair of crystal blue. He didn’t waver, though. “It doesn’t take much detective work to figure out that you were leading that scorpion into a trap. But something went wrong and it proved too powerful for you. It could’ve killed you if we weren’t there.” 

“I would’ve been fine!” 

“So, you don’t deny that you sent the tip and lured us out there?” There was a moment of unease from the girl, before she looked down at her lap. Dick pressed on, “If you were fine, then why did you need the Teen Titans to view your victory? Or in the case of what really happened, our help?” 

Terra glanced away, curling an arm around her waist in a defensive motion. “I only wanted to meet you guys and I didn’t know how I could without proving myself,” she whispered, not looking back at him. Her arm tightened around her waist even more. 

Dick let out a low sigh, slightly relieved by her reply. Her actions didn’t seem malicious. His worries had been for not, then. She hadn’t been trying to hurt them, she hadn’t been trying to trick them; she had only wanted to meet them and had been too awkward to go about it like _normal people_. 

She probably didn’t even realize that she had placed everyone, including herself, in such danger. A part of Dick wanted to bring it to her attention, but the body language that she was emanating showed that scolding her would do no good at that moment. Dick almost felt that if he didn’t say the right thing, she would crumble away. 

“Listen, Terra,” began Dick softly; his tone serious, but gentle. “I’m not sure what you’ve experienced in your life, but relationships with other people are extremely important. You can’t live by yourself – especially at such a young age.” 

“I’m sixteen,” protested Terra, her tone indignant; yet, she remained defensive. “I’m practically an adult.” 

Dick snorted, hearing all of Slade’s, ‘You’re just a child’ lectures inside his head with the man’s familiar, teasing, yet fully serious tone. If Dick wasn’t an adult, then this girl was definitely not one either. 

“Please, I know that’s a lie. You’re fourteen or thirteen. Which is it?” 

Terra blushed and looked away; her shoulders shrugging. 

“The truth, Terra.” 

It was ironic that Dick was requiring the truth from Terra when he himself was lying to his father. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that he didn’t notice this, it remained a fact that a dichotomy was occurring in Dick. 

Of course, the only thing that was entering Dick’s mind was about Terra. He wanted her to come clean with him. He wanted her to speak the truth, that way she would be herself in the Tower. There were many times that Dick noticed Terra holding back. She smiled when she was supposed to, she joined in the fun when she was supposed to, but there was always something stiff and fake about her demeanor. 

Dick wanted the girl to feel at home. 

Terra sighed and pulled a leg to her chest; resting her chin on her knee and wrapping her arms around her propped up leg. There was a long moment where she merely stared at the carpeting of the main room. Then, her soft, vulnerable voice lifted into the air. 

“I’m thirteen,” whispered Terra. 

Dick sighed, rubbing his face with a hand, “I figured as much.” 

“Please don’t tell the others.” 

“They’ve already deduced it themselves,” said Dick, shaking his head. “We’re not stupid. The signs are pretty clear – not to mention, you certainly don’t look sixteen.” Terra blushed deeply at this and tightened her arms around her leg. Dick didn’t address it. “I’m also aware that you can’t control your powers very well and you try to hide it.” 

Dick had been expecting her to stiffen again, maybe even blush. He had _not_ been expecting the violent reaction that it produced. Her head bolted up sharply, fear literally pulsing through her entire being. 

“What are you talking about?” cried Terra, her eyes filled with pure terror – as if that statement had been a full fledged attack on her person. 

“You can’t control your powers,” repeated Dick, watching her carefully; wondering why she was acting like that. He flinched in surprise as Terra immediately bolted to her feet. 

“You can’t tell the others!” 

“What are you talking about? Calm down, Terra, it’s not a big deal.” 

“Swear it!”

“ _Terra!_ ” snapped Dick, standing up as well and grabbing her by the shoulders. She was a few inches shorter than him and she looked up at him with desperation in her eyes. 

“Swear it,” said Terra again, the desperation that had been in her eyes now flowing through her tone. The sky blue eyes were glistening with her fear and unshed tears. Dick sighed and put a hand to his forehead, officially feeling exhausted now. After a tense moment, he looked back up. 

“Terra, I promise I won’t say anything to the others, _but_ —” He put up a hand to silence the girl when she opened her mouth to speak. “—that doesn’t mean they haven’t already figured it out. It’s not that difficult – just like your age – to figure out. Honestly, Terra, it doesn’t matter if you can’t control it now. You should’ve seen Beast Boy for the first few months with us. Even Raven meditates, so she can maintain her control. We’ll help you learn to control your powers – because that’s what _friends do_.” 

There was a physical reaction to this as well. Something softened throughout Terra’s body and she tore her gaze away; staring down at the ground as she curled protective arms around her waist. There was a few more quiet moments, before she look back up at him. Once again, inside her young eyes was that same desperation, but this time, it was coupled with a deep longing. 

Dick was greatly reminded of how he had felt himself many years ago. 

“Am I… you friend?” asked Terra, the uncertainty and vulnerability undisguised through her tone. Dick smiled in relief and gave her a firm nod. 

“Of course.” 

Before she could protest, Dick drew her into a hug. She froze, obviously shocked by the gesture. She was terribly stiff in his arms; her own arms lying limply at her sides. That response gave Dick a strong impression that Terra never experienced such softness before. Then, in a few quiet moments, Dick felt her loosen in his hold. She didn’t return the hug, but she didn’t reject it. 

But, after another moment, Dick could tell she was becoming uncomfortable; thus, he allowed her to pull away. Her once hardened expression had softened considerably. A tentative smile spread through her young features. Dick returned it. 

“Aren’t you a Teen Titan now? You’re one of us,” said Dick, giving her a genuine smile. “And that means you’re our friend, right?” 

Terra’s face and entire stance seemed to falter a fraction of an inch. It was barely noticeable. Something dark glimmered in her eyes, but it was replaced with that same, all too familiar longing in her eyes. The darkness quickly faded away as her lips thinned in a hesitant smile; nodding softly.

Dick didn’t have time to address the strange reaction, because the main doors slid open and Starfire walked into the room. She looked tired and very saddened. It was quite apparent that whatever talk Starfire had tried to have with Raven hadn’t been successful. 

Starfire walked up to the two of them, shaking her head softly.

“I do not understand why there must be such unhappiness here,” whispered Starfire, looking up at Dick. Her monochromatic eyes latched onto his own pair of eyes, her gaze searching for some kind of answer. “Raven cannot be reasoned with. However, the contention is hurting her own heart and she does not appear able to overcome it herself. Oh, I do not know what to do any more.” 

With tears overflowing, she collapsed into Dick’s surprised arms and began to cry. Dick wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to cry; all the while, his cheeks heated up from the contact. He glanced over at Terra to see that she also looked melancholy about everything. 

Why did everything have to happen at the same time she came? Whatever Raven was dealing with, it was something bigger than petty jealousy – _it had to be_. 

Dick sighed as he allowed Starfire to cry, trying to ignore his rapid heartbeat. This wasn’t even some horrible criminal threatening the city and its lives. This was just simple discord among friends. Starfire didn’t know what to do. Cyborg didn’t know what to do. Dick didn’t know what to do. 

He needed help. He needed an adult. But he honestly wasn’t sure if Slade had the patience for this nonsense – _Dick_ didn’t have the patience, to be fully honest. He missed him, though. _A whole lot_. Maybe Dick’s head would clear if he took a break. Maybe Wintergreen could offer some advice. 

Whatever it was, Dick felt burdened by everything. On top of it all, he could feel part of his health declining. No, he wasn’t getting sick, but he was not doing very well – that much was certain. However, that wasn’t something he could fix. The nightmares weren’t stopping. Dick convinced himself that talking to Slade about it wouldn’t help anyway, so no need to open up about _that_. 

But there was no doubt: he needed his family. 

“Starfire,” whispered Dick, tightening his hold around her as he dipped his head in the folds of her hair. Her soft cries quieted as she listened. After a moment, Dick continued, “I need to go home.” 

There was a sharp intake of breath; soft, strong arms tightening around his waist. 

“I miss Dad,” whispered Dick, ever so softly – only Starfire was privy to these words. “I haven’t seen him all week. I don’t want to leave the Tower like this, but… I don’t know what to do any more. I need help. I… _I miss him, Star_.” 

There was one strong sniffle inside his neck, before Starfire withdrew from the hug. Something twisted inside Dick’s heart, his entire being wishing that the hug had lasted longer. Starfire’s eyes were reddened slightly from her tears, but she quickly cleared her face and nodded. 

“We will be fine for a day or so, Dick,” said Starfire, her smile watery, yet powerful with strength. “You go home. I understand. Everything will be all right.” 

“You’re leaving?” asked Terra, a hint of worry entering her tone. Dick glanced at her and nodded. 

“Just for a day. I’ll be back on Sunday,” said Dick, trying to give the younger girl a reassuring smile. He stepped away and gave her a wave; then, he began his slow walk to the main sliding doors. Starfire walked with him, staying at his side. Once they reached the doors, Dick stopped and turned back to Starfire. Something overtook his senses; he reached out and took Starfire by the hand. 

“I’ll be back on Sunday, okay?” whispered Dick to Starfire. She nodded once, but still looked worried. Dick felt bad for leaving now, but he really needed some time away. Maybe he could find some answers from one of the two men back at the haunt. He wished that they all could have a getaway, but for some reason, things were affecting Dick more. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep at night. 

Oh, _yeah_. Definitely the lack of sleep. 

“Hopefully the Tower will be intact, then,” said Dick with a small grin – in the which, he got a tender smile in return; her emerald green eyes glimmering with gentle amusement. Her hand squeezed his in a soft gesture as he turned away, but she didn’t say anything – she didn’t have to. The doors closed just as their fingers slipped apart. 

His heart skipped a few beats. 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **May 8th, 2009. Friday, 5:46 pm.**  

As Dick walked into the main room of the haunt, the electronic door sliding shut behind himself, he let out a low, long sigh of relief. The peace was welcomed. The _clinking_ gears above once again welcomed his arrival. He never could figure out why Slade had those gears, but somehow, Dick would almost be disappointed to see them go. Every time he heard their metallic sounds, they seemed to anchor his soul to home. 

 _Home._  

This was home to Dick. There was no denying it. While he loved the Tower – truly, he loved everything about it – there was something so much more to this place. What it was, Dick couldn’t exactly pinpoint it. Of course, while the main room made it seem strange, the home area of the haunt was so special to Dick. It felt like a real _home_. The rooms were smaller than the ones in the Tower. They were cozier. There was something about the hugeness of the Tower that made it seem impersonal. 

But a year ago, Dick would’ve never thought such a thing. The Tower had been home at the time, because he hadn’t been able to call anywhere else such a name. Now that he had a choice, it was too easy to choose. 

His home was where his adoptive father lived. 

At that moment, there was nothing more that Dick wanted than to jump on a couch and snuggle into Slade’s side; chattering to his heart’s content. He wanted to express, complain, and decompress all in one. The past week had been very trying and very stressful for Dick. He just needed someone to listen to him and even, perhaps, give him some advice on how he should proceed from here. 

While snuggling up beside his father, with the man’s strong arm around his shoulders, sounded like a good thing, the subject content would more than likely make Slade tip over the edge. Dick just wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk to Slade about _everything_ that was bothering his heart. Knowing Slade, the man would probably dig out the information, even when Dick wasn’t inclined to give it. 

Talking about Starfire and how he felt about her just _was not_ an option here. Not to mention, Slade wouldn’t have the wherewithal to withstand a long talk about strife in the Tower. The man wouldn’t be able to offer any advice, no doubt, on that matter. 

Thus, that left only one person in Dick’s home to whom he could bend the ear – and that man was the old man, Wintergreen. 

Dick sighed to himself. If he were honest with himself, neither options sounded all that great. He didn’t really want to talk to anyone about how he felt about Starfire. He wouldn’t mind getting advice about what to do with the others – actually, he’d welcome it with open arms – but talking about himself was something else. However, he just didn’t know if there was any advice for what was going on in the Tower. 

For a brief moment, he wished that his mother were here. Sometimes she knew when to keep the teasing down to a bare minimum. She probably would have poked a little teasing remark, saying something in a lamenting, yet joking tone, “Oh, my little robin is growing up! Mama’s little baby, so sweet!” 

But then, she would draw him close to her – soft and ever so tender arms within an embrace – and give him her special, gentle advice. She would tell him simple things that would seem like common sense after she had said it – no doubt Dick would wonder why he hadn’t thought of it in the first place. Then, in that coaxing, nurturing nature of hers, she would somehow tie it all back together with a spiritual tone: somehow, it would connect with God. That was just who she had been and still was, even in her passing. 

Even when John Grayson, Dick’s first father, didn’t agree with her, he somehow could never counter her on the subject. Finally, he had come up with a term that he had thought he’d been the first to discover. 

 _“Your mother is always right.”_  

Of course, that ‘new discovery’ hadn’t been new at all, but if there was anything that John stuck to religiously, it was that term and way of life. Thus, every teaching, every opportunity for learning, Mary would always bring something spiritual into the moment. And while Dick couldn’t always understand and comprehend, he remembered deeply the comforted feelings that had poured through his soul. 

Slade just couldn’t do that. 

Not that there was anything wrong with it. Dick loved the man with all his heart. He was ever so soft with Dick lately and he truly did appreciate that. But there had been something extra special about Mary Grayson. Had it been because she had been his mother? Had it just been her? Was he missing the tenderness and nurturing of a mother at that moment? 

 _Maybe_. 

Or maybe it had been her strength in life that he needed. Sometimes, Dick could feel Slade’s uncertainty with things, as if he were unsure how to proceed with instructing Dick in select areas. However, Wintergreen seemed to have that same strength that Mary Grayson had. 

Wintergreen wasn’t really one to tease Dick too much. He did on occasion, but he generally left it to Slade, who did it often in a playful way. Would the old man tease Dick about this subject? Would he listen? 

Dick took a step into the main room, each step deliberate and careful. Soon, his steps were quickening as he walked to the kitchen door. In a few moments, as his mind whirled with his thoughts, he reached the kitchen door and entered through it; shutting it closed behind himself. The rich scent of spices filled Dick’s nose immediately. Whatever was for dinner, it smelled wonderful. 

Dick glanced around, but instantly noticed that no one was in the kitchen. That actually made things easier for Dick. Fully anchored in his decision, he walked down the hallway and reached the end. He didn’t make his presence known to Slade, who was probably in his room or downstairs. Instead, Dick took a right down the hall towards Wintergreen’s bedroom. 

Generally, the old man preferred to read in the quiet of his room, instead of the library. On the other end of the hallway, opposite to the library, was another door, but Dick had yet to have gone into that room. He had asked Slade about a month ago, but the man had brushed him off, merely saying that there was nothing of interest for Dick up there. 

So, Wintergreen probably wouldn’t be up there – wherever ‘up there’ was – and that left the only possibility. 

Thus, Dick was standing outside the old man’s bedroom door. He tried to collect his thoughts about what he wanted to talk about with the old man. He found himself blushing as he thought about Starfire and what he might say about her. 

He wasn’t given a moment of peace. His body quickly became anxious. The palms of his hands became heated, becoming hot with a thin, clammy sheen of sweat. He rubbed his palms against the textured cloth of his pants. His neck rose with the nervous heat as well. 

Dick tried to take a deep, calming breath; his insides whirling in his extreme nervousness and unease. He needed this. He needed advice. Why was he so nervous about going to Wintergreen? It was just talking… about _stuff_. Slade couldn’t have been better. Dick just didn’t think he could go to Slade for this kind of advice. The old man was very wise – Dick had even seen Slade go to him on multiple occasions. So, the old man was safe. Dick knew that. There was nothing to be _nervous_ about. 

Why wasn’t his body listening to him? 

On top of it all, he felt guilt for going to Wintergreen instead of Slade. How would his father feel if he knew about this? Would Slade feel bad that Dick didn’t want to go to him for this? Surely Slade would understand, right? 

After all, the ideal family generally had a father and mother; the opposites creating a unique balance to the family unit – the father being the protector, while the mother being the nurturer; though, sometimes the roles were reverse. But since Dick no longer had a mother available to him, that meant he needed someone to fill that spot. Not that Wintergreen was exceptionally mothering… No doubt Slade would snort into true laughter if that came up in a conversation. But Dick supposed that the old man would have to do. The old man did have a somewhat nurturing nature to him. 

So, going to Wintergreen for advice wasn’t a slight on Slade. It was just like any other child going to each parent with different things. 

And besides… Dick just didn’t think Slade would be comfortable talking about such things. And somehow, Dick felt more comfortable going to the old man about this, who _probably_ wouldn’t tease him about it. 

 _Probably…_  

It took all of Dick’s courage to lift his hand and knock on the door. His stomach did a flop in the pit there as he heard his knuckles hitting the wood of the door. He squeezed his eyes shut, wondering if he should just turn on his heel and flee. But the old man’s kind voice halted his actions. 

“Come in.” 

There was no going back now as Dick turned the doorknob and walked inside, shutting the door behind himself. Dick hadn’t ever really entered the old man’s room before – he’d caught glimpses before, but had never actually gone inside. The room itself was similar to Slade’s in design; however, there was something more homey and inviting to the room. There were a few knickknacks on the dresser and even a few pictures, which Dick did his best to avert his gaze despite his intense curiosity. 

Wintergreen was currently sitting on his small couch, reading yet another book. Dick let a smile ease his features, feeling the nervousness begin to fade away slightly. The old man looked up at Dick and gave him a smile of his own. 

“Richard,” said Wintergreen, that smile brightly lifting the wrinkles on his face. His hazel green eyes glanced over Dick’s stature, which was hunched over somewhat, his hands attempting to stop wringing themselves to death. “You’re finally home. We’ve missed you. I believe I’ve never seen Slade quite so lethargic, but don’t you mention anything. How was your day? Did you see your father already?” 

Dick’s heart was pounding furiously in his chest. Why did something that was _so simple_ had to be _so hard?_ After a moment, he slowly shook his head, still looking as nervous as ever. Wintergreen seemed surprised by the tenseness that Dick was feeling. 

“To what do I owe this delightful pleasure, then?” 

Dick couldn’t stop pulling the skin on his hands, automatically taking a hesitant step forward.

“I–I was wondering if… if I could talk to you about something… b–before I saw Dad.” 

The old man’s smile widened softly. He set his book onto the arm of the couch and patted the empty section next to him. Dick shyly stepped forward more, until he sat down on the edge of the couch seat. He twisted his hands in his lap, looking down at them; feeling the embarrassment and nervousness of what he wanted to talk about rise within his face to heat his cheeks. 

He felt a gentle hand wrap around his waist before he was pulled to sit right next to the old man comfortably. The arm stayed wrapped around him, squeezing him gently in the old man’s side. Dick looked up at him with curious eyes, making Wintergreen chuckle slightly and hug Dick against his side a little tighter. 

“You looked so nervous, I couldn’t stand it,” said Wintergreen, his expression completely lifted in his tender smile. “There’s no need to be stiff with me. We’re practically family, are we not?” 

The tension eased from Dick’s heart. He smiled brightly at Wintergreen and leaned into the hug. Moments of affection with Wintergreen didn’t really happen that often – except when the old man was exceptionally worried about him after a fight. But, honestly, he did have to ‘get in line’, most of the time, since Slade took up the attention. Dick resolved to fix that in the future. He was happy to have Wintergreen in his life. It wouldn’t be the same without the gentle old man who had spunk and fire. 

Dick loved him like the grandfather he never knew. 

“Well, I’m sure you’re here for a reason,” said Wintergreen, amusement in his tone. “Or else you wouldn’t have looked as nervous as a turkey on Thanksgiving.” 

Dick let out a chuckling giggle at that. There was a pat on his arm and the expectant look the old man gave him made Dick breathe a low sigh. His head ducked and his hands began to twist themselves in his lap again, before Wintergreen turned in his seat slightly and rested a wrinkled, worn hand over them. Dick looked up. The old man was smiling gently at him. 

“Calm down, child. No matter what you need to talk about, I’m sure it’ll work out.” 

Dick couldn’t help but do just that. At hearing the endearing name that Wintergreen always used with him, it calmed his heart, the tension leaving his body. Many months ago, it had irritated and annoyed him to death to be called a ‘child’, but now he didn’t mind it. Because he knew that he still _was_ a child – he was growing up, there was no doubt about that. But he still needed these two adult men in his life to guide him aright. 

And he was thankful to have them. 

“There was something I wanted to talk to you about,” whispered Dick, feeling his cheeks begin to flush. He wasn’t sure where to start, in all honesty. So, he started with the one that was the hardest and was the closest to his heart. 

“I figured. Must be serious if you can’t or don’t wish to go to your father about it.” 

The flush intensified. Dick’s next words could only come out in garbled noises of stutters and hesitancies. It was a wonder that he was able to articulate anything. 

“Well, yeah… He… Well, he’s not exactly… That is to say… I mean, he’s not…” 

“Quite,” agreed Wintergreen, the amusement overflowing. Dick blushed deeply again, dropping his face into his hands and leaning forward on his elbows; feeling the heat of his cheeks on his skin. There was a light chuckle as a hand rested against his back and began to rub kindly. “My, whatever it is, it must be difficult for you.” 

There was only a responding nod, generating another chuckle. 

“Just start from the beginning, Richard. That’s always a good place to begin.” 

Dick rubbed his face in his hands, wishing he could rub the heat away. After a few moments, he lifted his face, but he didn’t look up at the old man sitting next to him. He was thankful that the hand didn’t leave his back, giving him a comforting warmth. 

“Dad’s not exactly… the world’s leading expert on the matters of the heart,” whispered Dick. “After all, his wife… uh…” 

 _Well, she shot out his eye! How is that even close to being a romantic?_  

“Ah, I must say with all the blushing you’ve been doing,” began Wintergreen, causing further blushing for poor Dick. “I had a feeling this was the subject content.” 

Before Dick could’ve fried his brain with the intense heat in his cheeks, the old man reached out and gently encased his chin with his hand, causing Dick to look up at him. 

“Tell me your thoughts, child.” 

Somehow, the tenderness in the old man’s voice and expression unlocked Dick’s voice. His thoughts poured from his mouth as he told Wintergreen what had been happening at the Tower the past few days. He told of the discord, of the arguments, of the puppy love – of everything that was threatening to destroy his team. He expressed his confusion and how much he wanted to be a good leader and a good friend, but it was all becoming too much. Lastly, he softly mentioned that he, too, wasn’t exempt from some of the issues, since he also had a crush on Starfire that truly made some things difficult whenever he was around her. 

Wintergreen was the perfect listener. He gave Dick his attention fully, his expression watchful and kind. He remained silent the entire time, allowing Dick to unload all the things that had built up during the past few weeks. But once Dick mentioned his crush, the old man’s expression filled with pleasant amusement and he chuckled at Dick’s reddening face. 

“I am aware of that fact, Richard,” said Wintergreen, the edge of this lips tugging upward. Dick groaned slightly. Wintergreen chuckled even more. 

“Who doesn’t know?” asked Dick, moaning in his hands again. 

“Knowing the way of nature and fate, probably the only person it actually matters to – Starfire.” 

“I’m not _trying_ to be obvious… It’s just really hard to act normal around her.” 

“I can see why you came to me with this,” commented Wintergreen lightly. “Slade would have kittens. And, of course, that one glaring fault that he isn’t an expert… or really, he’s a preschooler in this.”

Dick snorted, snickering inside his hands before he lifted upward. There was an embarrassed look on the old man’s expression as he continued. 

“But to be honest, Richard, I’m no better,” said Wintergreen, sounding apologetic. “Well, considering my wife didn’t try to kill me, I’d say I’m a step up, but not by much.” 

Dick realized at that moment that he knew little about Wintergreen. He knew a lot about the little things, the old man’s habits, quirks, and loves – and truly, those were important, too. He knew the soft things, the hard things – though, those came rarely – and the mischievous things. But about his early days? Not at all. 

He only knew about Slade because he had asked and the man had opened up to him. Dick hadn’t ever asked Wintergreen about his family and somehow, he really wanted to know more about this special old man. 

“What happened?” asked Dick, his tone soft and reverent. “Uh, that is… If you don’t mind me asking.” 

Wintergreen gave him a soft smile. 

“I don’t mind at all, really I don’t,” said Wintergreen. There was a pause, before he let out a low sigh. “There’s really not much to tell. I fell in love, she with me; we got married and later had a son. But as the years went by, we sort of fell out of love, I suppose – at least, that’s what I thought at the time.” He gave Dick a firm look and patted him once on the knee. “You can’t ever really stop loving someone. You can only forget or you never truly did love that person. For me, I believe time weathered our resolve with each other, until after about ten years of marriage, we divorced and moved on with our lives.” 

Wintergreen’s eyes took on a sad light. 

“What a waste. I never saw my son again. His mother took him with her. I tried to keep in touch, but all contact was never responded to. It wasn’t until later that I learned my son had married. A few years later, I became a grandfather. Slade was kind enough to find me pictures of them. I’ll never know them, however.” 

“Why not?” 

Deep emotion entered the old man’s eyes and Dick suddenly regretted asking. The answer couldn’t be good. Then, Dick felt incredibly saddened by it all. Both Slade and Wintergreen had had terrible things happen to them. It just wasn’t fair. Why was it that such things had to happen? Why couldn’t either man be given a break? 

 _Maybe…_  

A gentle voice rose inside Dick’s mind, and for a moment, it trilled lightly. 

 _Maybe you’re that special break._  

As Dick looked up at Wintergreen, who was visibly trying to restrain the emotion in his face, Dick was overcome with the knowledge that he was inside these men’s lives for a reason. It wasn’t just Slade who needed Dick, Wintergreen needed him, too. 

Dick snuggled against the old man’s side; his hand sliding into a wrinkled one and squeezing it gently. He received a smile and a squeeze in return. 

“My youngest grandchild, my grandson, didn’t even get to reach his first birthday,” whispered Wintergreen finally, the emotion choking his voice. “A little under a year ago – about a month or two before you came to be here – my son, his wife, my granddaughter, and my two grandsons were killed in a car accident. It exploded. Needless to say, the remains… were more or less cremated.” 

At Dick’s horrified look, the old man patted him on the knee. There was sadness throughout Wintergreen’s expression, but there was also a strength and a peace there. Where the old man had found it, Dick couldn’t be sure. 

“It’s okay, Richard. I’ve come to terms with it. I never was in their lives in the first place, but I am terribly sad that they aren’t alive and are unable to continue in this life.”

It was a horrible thought that such little children had died. 

“Your grandchildren… What were their names?” asked Dick, trying not to cry at the thought. 

“They were Melanie, Timothy, and the youngest, Theodore,” whispered Wintergreen. “In the pictures Slade found for me, they each have the sweetest blue eyes you’ve ever seen. Only Timothy had remnants of my auburn hair.” 

Dick curled against the old man’s side again, wishing that such a tragedy hadn’t happened to him. He did smile at the thought that Wintergreen used to have auburn hair. That must’ve been quite the sight. There were a few, quiet moments between the two of them. 

After hearing such a story, Dick felt pretty silly and stupid for the issues that were going on at the Tower. Why couldn’t they just get along? They were alive. They were safe. They were well. There was honestly no excuse for such foolishness. They should be getting along, having fun, and being friends. The petty fighting, the intense emotions, and the discord were all wastes of time. 

They had precious little time for such things.

“My problems don’t even compare to losing your family,” whispered Dick. “In the end, they’re just silly little things.” 

“Oh, Richard. To you, they are important,” said Wintergreen, drawing a comforting arm around Dick’s shoulders. “It’s okay to be a child. It doesn’t last very long. In fact, it’s gone in the blink of an eye. You can only be a child for two decades of your life. The other six decades or more are certainly enough time to be an adult.” 

Dick smiled lightly, but he didn’t feel much better. True, there was time to be young. But Dick didn’t want to waste the special time with his friends in discord like this. Somehow, someway, it needed to stop. 

“You do seemed burdened by all this,” continued Wintergreen, his expression softening as he ran a hand through Dick’s hair for a moment. The gesture was gentle and Dick found himself comforted more from it. But the old man’s next words were startling to him. “Did you ever consider unloading it all in a prayer?” 

Dick glanced up at Wintergreen, his eyes wide with his surprise. 

“Oh, don’t give me that look,” chided Wintergreen playfully, yet there was a simple reverence to his tone. “I know you were raised with such things. I know you’re receptive to this, unlike your father. So, why haven’t you sought for higher help? Your mother would’ve wanted that, yes?” 

There was silence as Dick tore his gaze away from the old man, looking across the bedroom at the furniture that adorned the room; not really taking in any of their contents and purposes. His mind was filled with past thoughts and memories.

 _Why?_  

It hadn’t really crossed his thoughts, to be honest. Sure, there had been moments where he had thought about being a Christian, because his mother had been one. But that had been because when Slade hadn’t been his father, he had wanted Dick to be something he couldn’t be. Killing, stealing, being a criminal were just not things Dick wanted to be. In his desperation, that had been the reason why he had considered it. 

But, in the end, it had been his mother who had instructed him and helped him in this subject. Scenes of his mother teaching him and kindly helping him kneel by his bed – all those things she had done, because that was what she had believed in and she wanted Dick to feel of its worth. As a child, Dick had listened to her. But after his parents died, he’d been thrown into a completely different environment. Attempting anything ‘spiritual’ hadn’t crossed his seven year old mind. 

He’d been too busy missing them to even truly think about it. 

At one point, he had searched for answers, but being so young, he couldn’t understand and couldn’t find them. _He had needed his mother_. 

Was this what he wanted? Someone to help with this? Moments before, he had been missing the strength and confidence that Mary Grayson had when she spoke about anything. There was such a reassurance there through her. Was that why he had chosen Wintergreen to talk to about this? Because he knew that the old man would offer more than just advice? 

But what could he do? Really, who wanted to listen to a fifteen year old talk about teenage angst between a bunch of friends or an insignificant – in the grand schemes of the universe – little crush on a girl? It was so stupid and silly, even in comparison to what had happened to Wintergreen’s family. 

“I just… didn’t think about it. And anyway… who’d listen? You and Dad are supposed to listen me – well, maybe not you, but Dad is.” 

There was low chuckling at this. 

“Tell me, Richard, what are the qualities that you see in your father, in Slade?” 

“Uh…” Dick shrugged after a moment, not really sure how to answer that. 

“Come now, surely you have some ideas.” 

“Well, he’s…” Dick trailed off for a moment, trying to think. He knew what Slade was to him. He had begun to see it long before the man offered to adopt him. Slade was strong and powerful; he was strict and stern; he was soft and gentle; he was safe and secure – and he was filled with love for Dick. 

And Dick could feel that love. 

“He’s got a wry sense of humor,” began Dick, feeling shy at verbalizing what he felt to Wintergreen. The old man prodded him and Dick let out a sigh. “He’s safe. I always feel protected when he’s near. He’s gentle with me, because he knows I need that. He’s strict and expects my best. He’s also… self sacrificing. He gave everything up for me, so that he could raise me. He’s also scary sometimes, like when I mess up really bad.” 

Dick’s mouth went dry at that thought. The inkling that he had lied to his father was rising up through his throat. It was more than a hint, though. Every part of his heart was screaming at him, but his mind was dutifully ignoring this. His heart and soul knew that he shouldn’t have lied. The longer he waited, the more trouble was sure to build up for himself. Somehow, his mind thoroughly ignored this possibility. 

It also ignored the fact that he had lied not once, but _twice_ now. 

If he came clean now, maybe Slade wouldn’t be _as_ upset with him as he would if he found out otherwise. But that stupid, idiotic part of his brain was constantly whispering that Slade would never find out, so there was nothing to worry about. 

The term ‘all knowing’ popped into his mind – a message from his heart – but he kept quiet about that one. 

“Don’t forget forgiving and merciful, don’t you agree?” asked Wintergreen, his hazel green eyes twinkling with a knowing light. Dick knew what he was alluding to, but he didn’t know _how_ the old man knew about that. 

“How’d you know about that?” 

“The walls have ears, dear child,” said Wintergreen, sounding amused. “But I’m glad Slade was lenient with you. It shows just how much you’ve wormed your way into his heart.” 

Dick found a small glow inside his heart at those words, while at the same time, the gnawing guilt grew even more. 

“Now, this ties into your question. Did you know there’s another name for God?” 

Dick shook his head, listening carefully. 

“It’s Heavenly Father,” said Wintergreen, a soft, reverent smile tugging at his wrinkled lips. “You just listed qualities that you see in your imperfect, adoptive father. God is a Divine Father, who is perfect. Don’t you think that He possibly has similar qualities like your father has?” 

“But… isn’t He… _God?_ ” 

“God isn’t just a _god_ , He’s the Father of our spirits,” continued Wintergreen. “If God is our Heavenly Father, who is perfect and beyond anything that we can truly comprehend, and if we are created in His image, don’t you think we bear some of His qualities? Don’t you think that maybe the good qualities that you see in Slade, your father – adoptive or not – can be amplified to its greatest possibility? Think of your father in his softest, gentlest moments. There is something greater than that.” 

There was a warmth that overflowed Dick’s senses at that moment. Something soft, warm, and tender tugged at his heart. For a moment, Dick truly thought he’d hear that trilling, lilting voice speaking those words. It was as if she were there, listening in and confirming what Wintergreen was telling him. Some truly impossible things had happened to Dick. It was logical to believe that even more impossible things could happen. 

“Listen to me, Dick,” whispered Wintergreen, and Dick looked up at the old man. His aged, hazel green eyes were glistening with deep understanding. “Even if you don’t turn to higher things right now, I want you to know that _just_ like Slade and I are never too busy to listen to anything you need to say, neither is God. Sometimes the first step is remembering that fact: no matter what, no matter what you do, there is _always_ someone there to listen to you, even when we’re not here.” 

A tear slipped down a wrinkled cheek. There was a sniffling sound as the old man withdrew a handkerchief out of his pocket, using it to its fullest. Dick looked away, feeling just as choked up as Wintergreen. This reminded him far too much of his mother. She would say this to him, if she were here. She wouldn’t have pressured, she wouldn’t have forced, but she would’ve gently, softly, _tenderly_ spoken to him; the trill of her voice bringing warmth with it. 

Dick dropped his head against Wintergreen’s shoulder; lifting his hand to rub against a wet cheek. 

“Thanks, Will.” 

“Goodness, foolish is what I am. I haven’t even given you any advice on what you can do to help your friends or your own dealings with your crush.” 

“I’m good now,” whispered Dick, feeling that warm feeling fill his heart with an intense strength. He might not know how to stop the discord in the Tower, he might not know how to act around Starfire, but that was all okay. He didn’t have his mother at his side, and yet, he had still felt something from her. She wasn’t fully gone. She was just elsewhere. The words he wanted to hear from her had come through someone else and that was okay. 

“ _Thank you_ ,” whispered Dick again, truly meaning it. 

“You are a good boy, Richard,” said Wintergreen, his voice slightly gruff from emotion. Dick felt that all too familiar guilt twinge at his heart. Somehow, he couldn’t believe those words, not when he was holding something back from Slade. But nonetheless, he was still greatly thankful to this old man. 

“Thanks for listening to me, Will. And thank you for… saying the things Mama would have said to me.” 

There was a firm nod and a tighter hug around the waist. There was a long moment as the two of them sat there in silence, Wintergreen’s sniffling the only sounds in the quiet room. Soon, even they faded away. 

Dick couldn’t help but wonder if something like this could’ve happened if things had been different between him and Bruce. While he had figured that Bruce couldn’t have been the same type of father that Slade was now, there was still always moments where Dick wondered what could’ve been. He hoped that someone would fill that hole in Bruce’s life, like Dick had filled that same hole in Slade.

In some ways, it was better for Dick to be here for Slade’s sake. Without Dick, then things would have turned out much differently for Slade. He would still be alone. He wouldn’t have that chance to reunite with his living children. His steps would still walk down the path that he had chosen. 

And Dick still would be fighting against him. 

How better was it for the two of them to be on the same side? There were so many things that Dick could still learn from the man. Better for them to be united like they were – and Dick was truly happy. Even when he was still choosing something that he shouldn’t be. Perhaps, soon, he could speak to Slade about what he was holding back… 

 _Eventually, when it wasn’t dangerous._  

“We have become too serious for my taste,” said Wintergreen suddenly, in a decided tone. Dick moved slightly to look over at the old man curiously. “We must fix this.” 

“How—?” 

Dick’s words were cut off in a loud gasp as a strong arm pulled his upper body over a lap. He didn’t have much time to take in the scenery that was the ceiling, because a moment later, his stomach was attacked with gentle, yet insistent fingers. Gasping laughter and cries couldn’t be held back. Dick couldn’t escape – though, he did try for good measure. 

However, finally, he managed to collapse onto the floor. Safe from tickling fingers, he gasped for breath on his hands and knees; his hands tensing against the carpeted floor. Finally, he looked up at the old man – who was gazing down on him with a tender, amused expression on his aged face – and complained heartily. 

“Why does everyone think they have the right to tickle me?” demanded Dick, but with no real anger – more like on the grumpy side. 

“Children are supposed to be children,” said Wintergreen, giving him a knowing smile that edged near a mischievous smirk. “Sometimes adults need to hear their carefree laughter.” 

When Dick let a smile cross his face at that, the old man held out his hand. Dick clasped it and was pulled to his feet. 

“Up you go, child,” said Wintergreen. Then, as Dick stood in front of him, the old man reached out with his hands and cupped Dick’s cheeks with them. Then, Wintergreen pulled him down and placed a gentle kiss on Dick’s forehead. “You’re a good boy. Don’t you forget that, Richard. No matter what.” 

Dick blushed from the praise and nodded in the old man’s hands. He didn’t feel like he deserved that praise, however. That nagging guilt was eating at his heart and his smile faltered. 

When was he going to tell Slade about the nightmare? Was he truly going to live his entire life with this horrible, _horrible_ guilt tearing apart his heart constantly? When was he going to come clean? 

While his heart begged for him to talk with Slade about it, his mind denied such petitions. The nightmare was too dark to release to the air. No one could know what was going on inside his mind. No one else could know about the taint that existed there. This was something he had to endure on his own. 

At least, that was what Dick thought. 

Wintergreen released his cheeks and stood up. Drawing Dick into a side with an arm around his shoulders, the old man squeezed him in a half hug. 

“I think we’re ready for dinner, are we not?” At Dick’s smiling response, he continued, “Besides, I am sure your father is wondering where you are.” 

With that, they walked towards the door and into the hallway. Dick was pushed forward toward Slade’s bedroom door. Taking that as a sign to go to him, Dick walked to the door; while Wintergreen went down the hallway to set the dinner table. Dick knocked on Slade’s door, waiting a moment, before he slowly opened it. 

His father was sitting at his computer, but there was nothing of note on the screen. As Dick came into the room, Slade turned around in his chair and stood up immediately; coming to Dick. 

“Dick, you’re home. You’re later than normal. Where have you been?” asked Slade, his eye taking in every about Dick – as if he were checking that everything was all right. Dick smiled at Slade, feeling grateful. At the same time, his feelings were tainted with his guilt for lying to the man. He pushed the traitorous feelings back down, trying to condemn them to their silence. 

They were a bit more powerful than that. 

“I was just talking to Will for a few moments,” said Dick. 

“Are you okay?” asked Slade, his impassive expression now turning to concern. There was a moment where something inside Dick faltered. Was he okay? Was everything _truly_ all right? Could he follow Wintergreen’s advice and by extension, his mother’s words? There was a part of him that was at peace with everything, but at the same time, there was something crawling through him; trying everything to deny those gentle, special words. In truth, could anything really drive out that terrible, darkness that existed inside Dick’s mind and dreams? Did anything really have that much power? What if there really was something bad inside him? 

Who would want to hear a plea from something so dark as that horrible doppelganger? Dick was sure of it now – that creature lived inside of him. Did he really have any right to voice his pleas to some higher help, when something that _horrible_ dwelled inside of him? 

He couldn’t even go to Slade. 

Was he _really_ okay? 

“I’m okay, Dad,” said Dick, giving the man a bright smile. “I’m okay.” 

 _Not necessarily a lie, but not necessarily the truth._  

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Eleven: Faithful Friends – Slade finds himself coerced into the one thing he hates the most: a play day – and to his absolute horror, with the Teen Titans. Whether or not he makes it through the day will remain to be seen and all the while, Wintergreen displays his all knowing knowledge about each member of the Titans, including its newest member.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** So, in some big news, I now have a tumblr. Well, I’ve had it for a year, but now I’ve officially begun it. You can find it at Anthezar.tumblr.com. From here on out, I’ll be using it to have sneak peeks of future chapters. You’re welcome to ask me things and I’ll do my best to answer them. I’ll also give updates on my original work as well, which I hope to publish this year, but yeah, we’ll see about _that_. XD And finally, I’ll also use it to show my sketches of Dick and Slade, and among other things.
> 
> Now, in better news, I’ll be updating next week. Yes, you heard right! XD Writing seems to be doing better for me – or at least yesterday was a good day LOL – and so I’m expecting the next few chapters to come easier to me. Well, how can it not, due to the delightful ‘torture’ I’m gonna put Slade through in the next chapter. *whistles innocently*
> 
> Remember to check out my tumblr for early sneak peeks throughout the week. There’s one up now for you. ;) Hope you all join me there!
> 
> Oh, and Happy Fourth of July! :)
> 
> Thanks for reading! Next update will be on July 11th, Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	11. Faithful Friends

**Chapter Eleven**

**Faithful Friends**  

 

 **May 11th, 2009. Monday, 9:43 am.**  

Slade was immoveable. No matter how much Dick tugged on the man’s arm, he just would _not_ budge. But Dick was determined. He would win this battle against the man, there was no doubt in his mind. He would just have to pull out all weapons which were at his disposal. There was only one way to win with this man and Dick would use the tactic to its fullest. 

Bright blue eyes sparkled innocently up at the man, a bottom lip protruded slightly in a childlike pout.

“Come on, Dad, _please?_ ” begged Dick, blinking his eyes a few times effectively. There was a responding twitch of the eyebrow, signifying that his target was weakening. The weakness was brief, however, and Slade hardened his stance. 

“No means _no_ , Dick,” growled Slade, glaring down at him. The effect was lessened due to the amount of twitching his eyebrow was experiencing. “Don’t get yourself into trouble over this.” 

The threat was loaded, but without any real ammunition. Dick took that as the go ahead to continue his attack; his bright blue eyes blinking rapidly, black eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks. He gave the man a deeper pout. 

One battle won, as Slade averted his gaze finally. Dick snickered under his breath at his first victory and tugged against the man’s arm again. 

“You’re _impossible_ ,” snapped Slade, before Dick could try to beg some more. The man still didn’t look back at him. There was another tug. “Would you stop that?” 

“No,” said Dick, his tone the epitome of cheekiness. 

“Dick, I don’t want to go to the Tower today,” said Slade, now sounding tired. “I helped you and your merry little friends work up a training schedule, but I really don’t want to go back.” 

“ _Please, Dad?_ ” 

There was a vocal, exaggerated groan from the man. But Slade was unyielding – he still didn’t move. A moment later, Wintergreen walked into the kitchen, a large bag at his side. The old man gave the two of them a delighted smile as he looked between them. His gaze stopped at Slade for a moment. 

“Well, are we ready to go?” 

If Slade had appeared stoic and powerful a moment ago, that one sentence now appeared to have thrown him completely off. He looked alarmed at the old man. 

“Go? Go _where?_ ” demanded Slade. 

Wintergreen blinked. 

“To Titans Tower, of course,” said Wintergreen, sounding bemused. He paused for a moment, then he gave the pristinely white shirt a double glance. “Are you going to wear that?” 

“Yes…” Slade stopped and looked down at himself to double check. The man was wearing his normal, pristine clothes; a white collared, button down shirt and black slacks. After a moment, he looked back up at Wintergreen; giving him a frowning, almost baleful expression. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” 

There was a forlorn sigh and a gentle shake of the head, almost as if a mother would with her exasperating child, “Nothing at all.” 

Somehow, Slade didn’t appear reassured. Dick was glancing between the two men, trying extremely hard not to start laughing through it all. Slade was narrowing his single eye at the old man, who was appearing far too innocent for his age. 

“Why are you going to the Tower?” asked Slade, eyeing Wintergreen carefully. 

“Not just me, but all of us,” said Wintergreen, appearing far too happy about that fact. “We’re going to have a nice, fun day, I’m sure.” The old man gave Slade an eyeing look once more. “Are you sure you’re not going to change?” 

“What I’m wearing is just fine!” snapped Slade hotly, almost defensively. “And I’m not going to the Tower, so the pair of you can just have a nice day.” 

“Slade, stop it; don’t be foolish. Of course, you’re going.” 

“Would someone _please_ tell me what I’m being dragged into?” demanded Slade. He looked at Dick, obviously trying to get some information. He appeared almost desperate. 

“I just wanted you to come to the Tower today,” said Dick, attempting to sound innocent. Slade wasn’t convinced. 

“Come now, Slade, we’re going to have a relaxing day with the children.” 

“You’re…” Dawning comprehension crossed Slade’s face as he trailed off. Then, he cried, looking absolutely horrified, “Oh, _good grief_ , you’re suggesting another one of those play days!” 

“Won’t it be fun?” chirped Wintergreen cheerfully, bouncing forward slightly on the balls of his feet. 

“I am _not_ having a merry play day with the Teen Titans!” 

“You have with Richard. I honestly don’t see the problem—” 

“Dick is my _son!_ ” snapped Slade, and Dick felt a glow inside his heart at that statement. The smile on his face was no longer mischievous, but one created of pure happiness. “It’s one thing to spend time with Dick, but a whole other thing having a play day with… with… _teenagers_.” 

The old man rolled his eyes. 

“Slade, calm yourself. You need to get out and see the world more. This will be good for you.” 

The expression that Slade gave the old man was laughable. Dick had to slap his hand over his mouth to stifle the snickers there; though, his hand wasn’t a good buffer. The poor man looked thoroughly disconcerted as he stared at Wintergreen as if he had said there was going to be an alien invasion and they were going to probe his brain for termites. 

Dick was greatly thankful for the old man. After his talk with him, Wintergreen had come later to Dick with his suggestion for the Teen Titans. At first, Dick was hesitant, due to the animosity that his friends generally felt for Slade. But with a little coaxing, he’d been convinced and had been set to the task of dragging Slade to the Tower. 

But that part of the plan wasn’t really going all that well. Slade was set against going back there for some reason. No amount of batting those eyes could sway Slade this time. Dick was impressed that Slade had built up resistance to his eyes. Or maybe Dick’s affect had grown weaker. Whatever it was, Slade had been standing firm. 

Hopefully, the old man could get Slade going. 

“I don’t need to _get out of the house_ , as you say,” said Slade, sounding insulted by the very thought. There was a moment of frowning, before he continued, a little indignantly, “And I get out, I’ll have you know. Just because I’m retired, doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned the outside world.” 

“When was the last time you got out?” asked Wintergreen, smiling with a knowing gaze. Slade was shaking his head in small, jerky movements; his grey blue eye flashing dangerously. He pointed at the old man, his lips thinning as his glare was mixed with annoyed amusement. 

“You are _not_ doing this to me,” said Slade, waving his finger. “You don’t get out much yourself, so don’t do this.” 

“I get out often,” countered Wintergreen, not missing a beat. Dick just stayed silent – well, tried to, in the very least. He was bursting at the seams in the desire to laugh hysterically at this. “I have to go to the grocery store every week, so it’s not like I’m holed up here like you are.” 

“ _I’m not_ —” 

“Honestly, Slade, you should consider your options,” said Wintergreen, and now his tone had taken on a dangerous whiff and flare. Slade instantly caught onto it and narrowed his eye as the old man continued, “You can go to the Tower now or you can go later and resemble the walk of a penguin.” 

There was a low, throaty growl.

“Are you threatening me, old man?” 

“Slade, do you take disrespect from Richard?” asked Wintergreen. Dick’s eyes widened as his head whipped back and forth between the two of them. That throaty growl was deepening. “No? Then, I suggest you show me the same courtesy or you will be very stiff for _quite_ a few days, Slade.” 

There was an audible sound of flesh connecting to flesh as Slade’s hand was dragged over his face; his hand pulling on the white fur that grew in the form of his goatee. Dick’s lips were tucked into his mouth nearly all the way, in his desperate attempt to stop from bursting into endless, unforgivable giggles. Finally, Slade turned his glare onto Dick. 

“Did you put him up to this?” demanded Slade. 

“Nope!” said Dick, grinning from ear to ear. Slade sighed tiredly, running his hand over his face again. A slightly wrinkled hand gave him a pat on the arm. 

“Come, it’ll be fun,” said Wintergreen, his tone soft now; even a tad coaxing in its nature. With a final sigh, Slade’s entire body relented and the defeated man threw his hands into the air. 

“ _Fine!_ But I am not going to play any games there. You may, but I _will not_ – under any circumstances – be convinced to play anything with the children. And that is _that_.” 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **May 11th, 2009. Monday, 12:07 pm.**  

“You didn’t say Uno,” said Raven, her mouth twitching in restrained amusement as she caught Beast Boy for the _fourth_ time that game. Beast Boy groaned elaborately, throwing back his head in pure frustration. He tossed his single card onto the table and dropped his head onto the surface. He rolled his forehead back and forth there, muttering over and over underneath his breath. 

Cyborg was snickering as he supplied the lamenting green boy his penalty card. Dick was grinning, just as the other remaining two girls were. 

Slade honestly found it amusing himself. That boy had a terrible memory. Slade was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to lay down his draw four wild onto the poor schnook that was sitting beside him – who just happened to be a meddling old man. 

Some things never go according to plan; thus, that was how Slade was sitting at a table with six teenagers and one annoying old man. Strangling the old man wasn’t an available option, unfortunately. That didn’t stop Slade from visualizing it, though. But he had to admit, as usual Wintergreen was always right about these things. The problem that had apparently been going on seemed to be lessening as the group had the fun play day with each other. 

Even Raven, who – Slade had been told – was the most tense of them all, seemed to be having a good time. Or, at least, she was loosening up. At first, the group of Titans had appeared tense because of Slade’s presence. But when Wintergreen unloaded his bag of ‘goodies’, the tension lowered considerably. Some of the goodies  included numerous multi player games. _Yay Slade_. Sarcasm? Heck yeah. How the old man managed to fit a large amount of food and treats in that bag, Slade would never know. The old man was pretty amazing like that. 

In the end, Slade supposed that it was worth it to endure this day. Dick looked relaxed and happy – and that was always something Slade wanted to see. There were a few times where the boy would glance over at Slade and give him a beaming smile. That smile alone made it worth all the uncomfortable nonsense that Slade was forced to be subjected to – _yes_ , it was annoying, but he would endure. 

The only thing that concerned Slade was the light purple bruising that laid beneath Dick’s eyes. It was fairly faint, hardly noticeable, but Slade could see it. Once in awhile, Dick would rub his eyes, but they were as bright as ever. There was little indication that he wasn’t sleeping. He didn’t appear tired. But that bruising was evidence of a sleepless night. 

Why would Dick be having trouble sleeping at night, if it weren’t because of nightmares? Was he not telling Slade about them? But that didn’t make any sense. There was no reason why Dick would keep such things a secret. There was no logic to it. Thus, surely those sleepy eyes weren’t the evidence of that. Maybe it was because of some nightly trouble. Dick didn’t always talk about his hero work. 

That had to be it. 

Though Slade didn’t realize it, he should’ve gone with his gut instinct again. 

As the game continued, there came a point where Starfire was the first to go out. She smiled brightly as she laid her last card down, safe from penalty cards and other tactics. Slade thought that was the end of the game, so he placed his cards with the pile, before a hand stopped him. 

“No, we play a last man standing kind of game,” said Dick, handing Slade his cards back. “Going out first is the second place win. But the first place win is the one who beats the other in a final showdown. That’s why we have the rule that you have to play if you can.” 

“Oh?” drawled Slade. “Interesting. Then, let the game continue.” 

Terra was the next one to go out, followed by Dick and Beast Boy. Cyborg tried to stay in the game, but as drawing cards when you could play was against their current rules, he was quickly found out. Wintergreen was the second to last – due to Slade always targeting the old man. The final two that were left were Raven and Slade. 

Slade would never admit it, but he surely did get into this game. Facing the impassive empath was like playing a good poker game. They both were down to their final card and it was currently Slade’s turn. He was pretty confident that he was going to win. Unless, by some rare chance, Raven had a counterattack, this play would end the game. 

Slade placed his draw four wild down, giving the girl a wide smirk. The other teens let out a chorus of “Ooooo.” at that play. Raven looked at the card for a moment. Then, she looked down at the card in her hand. Without a muscle betraying her expression, she slowly lifted the card up and down onto Slade’s card; facing up. 

The entire group of teens erupted into obnoxiously loud cries of long, drawn out, “ _Ooohhh!_ ” Dick started laughing and the rest of the other quickly joined in. The only emotion that gave away Raven’s amusement was the single twitch to the side of her mouth. 

Another draw four wild had been placed onto Slade’s card. 

He’d been beaten. 

Slade inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her victory. The twitch stopped and her mouth tugged slightly upward. The chattering rose to a high level as the teens attempted to decide what game they were to play next. Raven continued to study him quietly as the others debated heatedly. Slade decided to give the girl a moment of ease. He gave her a very slight, yet gentle smile. Something soft glimmered in her eyes and a shy, unnoticed smile was returned, before it faded away. 

This play day was actually doing some good. Who knew that old man knew what he was doing? 

The next game, after much deliberation, was Scrabble without the board. Apparently, something had happened to the board – something about a green changeling throwing it out. 

“What kind of person plays games with letters and words?” asked Beast Boy incredulously, as if the very thought of such things was appalling to him. 

“Smart, normal people,” retorted Raven. 

Unfortunately – for Beast Boy, that is – Beast Boy’s vote for an intense round of stank ball was vetoed by every person at the table – Slade and Wintergreen’s votes counting as two each, they demanded. 

The chosen game required each player to take seven letters and attempt to use every letter in words. This is where the game actually got interesting. unfortunately, during the first round, Slade had gotten a Q without a U, so there was no going out first there. However, to the utter shock of the entire group, it was Beast Boy who completed the first set. 

Sadly, someone had to set the boy straight. And that one had to be Raven. 

“Beast Boy, doomray together is not a word.” 

“Hey, yes it is!” said Beast Boy. 

“Not really, BB,” said Dick, smiling weakly. 

“But it’s from Clash of the Planets!” 

Slade snorted as a full blown battling conversation flared up. The group continued to argue the point of what words should be allowed. If TV terms were to be allowed, then other terms had to be as well. Dick only grinned, joining in his statement about using other languages – he certainly did have a _wide_ repertoire at his disposal. At this, Starfire demanded that Tamaran be allowed for words as well. 

Wintergreen seemed to take this as an excellent opportunity to start lunch. Slade leaned back in his seat as the game was stalled due to the ‘discussion’ that was still occurring. He didn’t really mind it. Though it was tiring to be with these over excitable teens, it was also entertaining. It took quite a bit of restraint on Slade’s part from smirking the entire time. 

Wouldn’t do to have those teens think he was actually enjoying himself, now would it? 

Only a few minutes had passed since Wintergreen had gotten up, when there was an unearthly shriek of a low tenor quality and a horrified gasp. Slade groaned slightly, wondering what had the old man going on like that. The Titans didn’t notice when he stood up from the table. He walked up to the kitchen area and came to Wintergreen’s side. The old man was standing outside the closed door of the fridge with a shocked, horrified expression across his aged features; his wrinkled hand trembling on the handle there. He slowly looked to the side at him, just as Slade put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. 

“Slade… I have been subjected to much atrocities, but never in all my years have I seen something so… so _appalling!_ ” 

“What is it?” 

Wintergreen replied by opening the door of the fridge. Slade’s eyebrows receded into his hairline. The fridge was a disaster. There were all sorts of things in there, not all of them food. Slade could’ve sworn he was seeing a few car parts in there. Was that a tire wheel, too? There was rotting fruit, bread, and cheese; among other things. On top of it all, _everything_ was covered in a dark blue mold. 

That was a health hazard waiting to happen right there. 

“Well, it’s not too bad, now is it?” drawled Slade lightly. The old man merely gave him a look. 

“Do you want me to cook with this stuff?” 

“I’m pretty sure that if there’s anything that could kill me, it’s that nonsense right there.” 

The edge of Wintergreen’s mouth twitched in amusement. However, it instantly faded when he glanced back at the fridge. Slade could see the irritation rise up inside his old friend’s demeanor. It quickly capped and burst forth in a single snap. Slade felt mildly sorry for the owner of the name. _Mildly._  

“ _Richard!_ ” 

There was a startled gasp as Dick jumped in shock from the sharp, terse tone that had echoed through the main room. The argument between the Titans didn’t cease, but Dick excused him from the table without anyone really noticing. He quickly came to the two men and looked inquiringly between them.

“What’s going on?” asked Dick. 

“Richard, what is _this?_ ” demanded Wintergreen, opening the fridge again. Dick smiled sheepishly at the sight that was there. 

“ _Yeah_ , we haven’t cleaned it out recently…” 

“Young man, please tell me you don’t eat out of here.” 

“Um… _no?_ ” 

There was a yelp, as Dick dodged the old man’s try at grabbing him by the ear. Slade felt two hands press against his back as the little imp peeked out from behind. There was a playful smile on his face, but he was still a smart lad. He was wisely avoiding any reprimands from the old man by staying safely out of reach. 

“This could kill you, you foolish child!” cried Wintergreen, putting his hands onto his hips. “I’m cleaning it out immediately.” 

“You know Starfire, she’s got a bit of an obsession with fungus.” 

“Yes, I’ve heard of Koriand’r’s liking of such things.” 

Slade frowned at the name, while Dick took a double take at the old man. 

“How’d you know her real name.” 

“I know the name of every child in this room, Richard, and I prefer to use such things instead of your silly nicknames,” said Wintergreen, beginning to dig through the cabinets. He came to a drawer and found a pair of standard yellow gloves; slipping them on immediately. With a garbage bag wielded in his hand, he began his attack against the fridge. 

“But you haven’t addressed any of them.” 

“I would probably make waves if I did so, child,” said Wintergreen, grimacing as he pulled out an extremely old sandwich, before shoving it into the garbage bag. 

“Terra,” whispered Dick, leaning in closer. “Do you know anything about her?” 

“Tara Markov,” said Wintergreen without missing a beat. “Illegitimate daughter of a king who is skilled in geokinesis. I’m not sure how or why she is so far away from home, however. Though, being an illegitimate princess probably isn’t easy. She’s very young. Twelve, thirteen or so, I believe.” 

“ _She’s a princess?_ ” hissed Dick quietly, glancing nervously at the group of teens, who were _still_ arguing about the words. They weren’t even noticing the sensitive conversation that was currently going on. “How do you know that?” 

“My sources for information are boundless, Dick,” drawled Slade. “Surely you knew I had an inside man.” 

“Don’t even try that, Slade. Not even you knew those children’s real names. Now, would the two of you give me some space, so I can clean this abomination out. Lunch will be a little delayed, but will be coming shortly. Shoo!” 

Slade knew that this old man in cleaning mode was a dangerous thing to intervene, so he steered Dick away and stood at the back of the couch. The table that the children were playing out – they finally continued the game, still not noticing their missing players – was settled at the other side of the first area of the room. Slade thought this was a good time to talk with the teens about something that had been weighing heavily on his mind. 

“Children,” said Slade, speaking up loudly. They didn’t notice at first, although Starfire’s head perked up briefly. “ _Children_.” At that repeated message, Starfire nudged Cyborg and turned around to look at him. “I would like to speak with you. Please, sit down on the couch.” 

The Titans glanced at each other, looking confused. Even Dick wasn’t sure what was going on. Why was Slade asking them that? It was like he wanted… to _talk_ to them. Dick’s eyes widened immediately. 

 _Crap, that’s what he wants!_  

“Sit down on the couch,” said Slade, his eye flashing once with impatience as he pointed at said sofa with a finger. Dick gulped slightly, glancing at his friends. They seemed to look uneasy as well. Dick knew that tone of voice. It was one of those ‘You’re in big trouble if you don’t listen carefully’ voices. There was much hesitancy between the Titans, until Slade’s firm tone made them jump into action. “I don’t have all day for this. I suggest you move, _now_.” 

Six teens scrambled to sit on the couch. 

“Now, as I understand it, there has been some… _issues_ here at the Tower,” began Slade, walking to stand in from of the large couch; clasping his hand behind his back and beginning to pace the floor in front of the group. All six of them were clustered together. 

Dick felt slight horror and mortification begin to flood over him. He’d never thought Slade would outright say anything on the matter and just thinking about what the man might say was making him fear greatly. Surely Slade wouldn’t say anything improper. He wouldn’t embarrass or harshly scold anyone, right? 

Slade seemed to have a good knack at proving Dick wrong. 

“If you haven’t been able to tell, but this has been putting a great deal of stress on Dick,” said Slade, his grey blue eye flashing dangerously. Dick felt his cheeks heat up. “This will stop immediately. I don’t care if you have issues with each other, I don’t care if you’re angry at the world, I don’t care if you’ve been wronged in some way, I don’t care if you’re constipated, I don’t even care if you’re PMSing—” 

There was an embarrassed squeak from Terra. The entire group of Teen Titans had their own reactions to this statement. Terra was now an extremely bright red, rivaling the color of a fresh tomato. Cyborg’s mouth had dropped considerably, his expression greatly resembling that of a trout. Even Raven looked shocked by Slade’s blunt boldness on the matter and there was a faint, pink blush gracing her cheeks. Only Beast Boy and Starfire looked confused by the one term. 

And Dick wanted to die at that moment. 

“ _Dad!_ ” gasped Dick, horrified; his cheeks heating bright red as well. He glanced over at his friends, who were all being affected in one way or another. Wintergreen looked greatly amused by this and was attempting not to chuckle out loud; his hand over his mouth and his gaze looking up at the ceiling. 

“I’m just stating facts here, Dick,” said Slade, not even cracking a smirk at the discomfort he was causing. He stood erect and firm; his stance unwavering and the stern expression still present on his face. “You’re the Teen Titans, not some passing music group. Get along with each other. Are you friends or aren’t you?” 

At this pronouncement, the other Titans began to become uncomfortable; some squirming and guilty expressions appearing on their faces. Dick was actually impressed, once the heat faded from his cheeks. He honestly couldn’t believe that Slade was chastising the Titans for their poor behavior. And on top of it all, they were receiving it. Even Cyborg looked nervous for once. Normally, whenever the subject of Slade came up or the man was in his presence, Cyborg had a sour glare. 

But at that moment, Slade seemed someone more. Dick could feel the respect, grudgingly or otherwise, but respect nonetheless for the man who stood in front of them. A man who had once been a mortal enemy was now an adult figure in their lives. His entire presence both demanded and expected respect; requiring absolute obedience. 

Dick had figured that out within the first week of being with Slade. Now, it would seem that the Titans were discovering this same fact for themselves. There was no doubt in the minds of every teen in that room that Slade could take them all down, _at the same time_. His power was supreme here. He knew it and they knew it. 

“This isn’t a moment to lightly reflect and consider my words,” continued Slade, his tone turning sharp. “This isn’t a request. This time tomorrow I expect the Teen Titans to be in perfect harmony or else the consequences will be most… _unpleasant_.” 

There wasn’t a teen in the room who wasn’t nervous at that – although, only Terra didn’t know the implications of such a statement. Dick couldn’t help but go pink. The rest of the Titans were more than aware of how Slade ‘kept him in line’. However, Dick wasn’t sure what ‘unpleasantness’ Slade could or would dish out to the other Titans, but Dick had a pretty good idea what Slade would resort to with _him_ if he didn’t listen. And that just didn’t sound like a good plan right there. 

By themselves, the Titans might revert back to their old arguing ways. But if they had an adult around constantly… Slade being around all the time might curb some of the more biting fights. If anything, that alone was worth any effort on Dick’s part. 

“Hey, Dad, will you train with us again, if we get along?” asked Dick, blinking his eyes a few time innocently in the hopes it would convince the man to do so. “You should totally come to the Tower every day to help us out.” 

Cyborg looked over at Dick, his expression horrified. Slade also shared that same expression. The man shook his head, his hands splayed in front of him as he waved them. 

“No, no, no, I do not think that is a good idea,” said Slade. 

“Oh, come on, Dad. It’ll be fun—” Dick turned to his friends and gave them an overexcited smile. “Won’t it, guys?” 

There were a few ‘ _Yeah’s_ …” in unexcited tones. Dick didn’t really care at that moment, though he was amused by it. Hey, whatever it took to keep discord to a low roar – Dick was more than willing to pull some tactics on his friends. Thank you, Batman. Thank you, Slade. 

“Sooo, _please, Dad?_ ” begged Dick, laying it on thick now; blinking his eyes rapidly and giving his father his best pout yet. The universal sign of Slade weakening to it occurred: the man’s eyebrow twitched. Then, finally, Slade let out a long sigh, placing a hand to his forehead. 

“ _Very well_. I suppose we can begin a daily training. I’ve trained with you once so far, so I believe I know what each of you need.” 

The man paused for a moment and Dick had to suppress a grin. Even though Slade might protest about having to come to the Tower, he still did it – and even if he complained about training the Titans, Dick could already see the man thinking up what to do for them. 

“I think we should start with some simplified training for the five of you,” began Slade, after another moment. “Dick, I would suggest you train with Raven. I want you to work on technique and power. As for you three—” Slade pointed to Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy. “—will be training with me. Once again, we’ll be working on technique.” 

There was a grumbling sound from Cyborg, but he didn’t fight on it. Starfire actually looked excited, while Beast Boy had a tentative expression on his face – as if he were excited, but he was a bit too nervous to actually display it. 

“As for you, Terra,” continued Slade. “I’ve noticed something and I suggest we do some specialize training with you. I realize that controlling your powers is difficult right now, but with some—” 

Slade broke off, suddenly appearing alarmed at the horrorstruck expression that instantly filled Terra’s face at those words. She whipped her head to look at Dick with betrayal written over her features. 

“ _You told!_ ” cried Terra. 

“Terra, wait, no—” 

“ _You swore you wouldn’t!_ ” 

“But I didn’t—Dad—” 

Terra didn’t stop to listen any more. She bolted up off the couch and quickly darted to the sliding doors; completely out of the room. Slade stood there, looking around and appearing to grab at whatever answer he could. Dick jerked his glance to Cyborg. 

“Cy, put the Tower in lockdown!” cried Dick, jumping to his feet and rushing forward to the door. 

“W–what?” 

“ _Hurry!_ ” 

Dick burst through the sliding doors, nearly knocking into them as they opened part way. He could the Tower responding to Cyborg’s lockdown. His socked feet slid against the floor of the hallway. He pitched forward, catching his fall with his arms. But he continued to rush forward, pushing off the floor with his hands. He could see Terra near the end of the hallway. She reached the elevator door and tried to get it open. When the doors didn’t comply with her wishes, she gave out a frustrated cry; clenching her fists and smashing them into the doors. 

“Terra!” cried Dick. The girl whirled around and Dick could see large tears in her eyes. Her head darted from side to side; the girl desperately looking for a way to escape. She chose to her right, but she didn’t get far. Dick grabbed her by the wrist and forced her to stop. 

“Let me go!” cried Terra, trying to wrench Dick’s hold on her with a hand. Dick didn’t listen to her. 

“Stop it, Terra, and listen to me!” 

“Why should I? You _lied_ to me! You told—You—” 

With one jerk, Dick pulled her back. Her words were cut off as she fell backwards. Then, a moment later, she was surrounded by arms. There was a soft gasp inside Dick’s chest. She stilled in the hug for a brief moment, before she began to fight him on it. She pushed against his chest vigorously. 

“Let me go!” 

“You have to listen to me,” demanded Dick. A moment later, Terra shoved him completely away and broke from the hug. She glared at him and curled her arms around her chest as she took a step back. 

“You lied to me. Why should I listen to anything you say? You _promised!_ ” 

“I didn’t break my promise!” cried Dick. “If you stop jumping to conclusions, you’d realize that.” 

Terra looked at him balefully, but she didn’t try to run away again. The betrayal was written all over her face. 

“Look, I didn’t tell Dad anything,” said Dick, feeling irritated. “He figured it out on his own. _He’s_ the one who taught me how to be observant. It’d be stupid to think that Dad couldn’t figure it out on his own. You shouldn’t be so quick to think and judge that I would betray your trust like that so easily. _Friends_ don’t do that.” 

Terra scoffed. 

“Anyone can betray anyone else easily. Even your so called friends can betray each other.” 

“We wouldn’t do that. Even if that were to happen, we would still believe in them and be their friend.” 

Terra’s eyes darkened. 

“What if one of the Titans did something horrible? Something unforgivable?” 

“They wouldn’t—” 

“ _What if they did?!_ ” shouted Terra. “What if one of your friends did something bad, _really bad?_ Would you still be their friend?” 

Dick was reminded of how he felt upon returning to the Tower just a few months ago. His friends hadn’t been happy with his choice in a father, not that he really blamed them, of course. However, it still showed how they felt about someone who wasn’t perfect. 

But in the end, Dick had come to realize that no one was perfect. Everyone made their own mistakes. Just because someone made a different mistake, didn’t mean they should be shunned. Because Dick had seen past all the mistakes and had discovered the gem that was Slade’s core, he found someone special – someone he wanted to be like. He wouldn’t make the same mistakes Slade did, though, Dick was pretty sure. He would make different ones. But that didn’t mean either of them were condemned for such things. 

There was always hope. There was always a chance. The only thing that needed to be done was to press forward. 

“Even if one of my friends did something horrible, I would still be there for them,” said Dick, his eyes softening at the thought. “Because, if I don’t stand beside them, who will?” 

“You wouldn’t,” whispered Terra. “I don’t believe you.” 

“Then, I suppose, you’ll have to believe with time.” 

Terra’s eyes widened. Dick hoped that he had retained her trust now. She seemed so fragile, as if she were a autumn leaf in a dying tree; easily swayed by the whims of the wind. He wasn’t sure how to deal with her any more. 

Large tears filled at the sides of Terra’s eyes. She sniffled and quickly drew her hands to wipe away the tears. Dick felt bad for the girl. She was young, like Beast Boy. She was alone, like they all had been at one point. She ran away from home, just like they all had in their own way. Now, there was so much and so little knitting them together. Dick instantly felt a huge responsibility for this. 

He was truly thankful for Slade. The man had actually lectured the Teen Titans. Who would’ve seen that one coming? _Slade_ , lecturing the Teen Titans? It was absolutely hilariously ridiculous. Hopefully, now the others would be able to get along a little better. Maybe things would settle down now. At least, Dick hoped they would. 

The voice from his dreams rose upward, sinking its mocking words into his mind like deep fangs. 

Dick pushed it back down, feeling disturbed. He took a step closer to Terra and put his arm around her shoulders. 

“Come on, let’s go back,” said Dick, tugging her against his side in a hug. She sniffled and nodded once. “No one minds, by the way. So, it’s okay. Let’s go back and have some lunch, because I’m sure Will has something prepared for us by now.” 

With that tentative smile spreading across her young features, the two of them walked back to the main room. When they entered, there was a tense air within the room. A moment later, Terra was greeted by a shy Beast Boy. Dick pulled away and let his young friend have a moment with her. As Dick drew up to Slade’s side, he noticed that Beast Boy got Terra to smile more. 

Of course, that only put a frown on Raven’s face and it was obvious to Dick when she turned away. It was a sad sight to see, but hopefully no fighting would occur – and none did. Dick smiled and leaned against Slade for a moment, just resting his weight against the man. A hand snaked around his waist and tugged him once. Then, Slade sighed, almost grumpily. 

“It would seem that my presence at the Tower will be frequent,” said Slade, sounding annoyed and tired at the same time at that thought. Dick gave him a grinning smile, still leaning into the inconspicuous half hug that he was getting from the man. 

“It’s like you’re an honorary Teen Titan now.” 

He received a _very_ dark glare. 

“ _Don’t even joke like that_.” 

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Twelve: All About Trust – The nightmares are still continuing and Dick is still keeping them to himself. In a night of tiredness, Dick confides in Starfire, but soon after, he learns that there are always consequences to choices and that he can’t always hide things from his father forever.


	12. All About Trust

**Chapter Twelve**

**All About Trust**  

 

 **May 14th, 2009. Thursday, 9:01 am.**  

Everything seemed better after Slade, in all sense of the word, scolded the Teen Titans for their behavior. There was less tension and even Raven was making a visible effort to remain calm. She did spend a number of extra hours meditating, but whatever worked, Dick wasn’t about to complain. He was thankful for the less stress on himself. He had another pressing matter on his hands and that was his nightly nightmares.

There had been one day of training after that with the Titans. Dick had fallen over with laughter after one session between Slade and Terra. The poor girl had been terrified by what she had done, but significantly lightened by Dick’s mirth from the event.

As for Slade, well… He’d been less than happy about the five stones that had made contact with his body – including his head – due to Terra’s inability to control her powers. After the tenth rock, he announced that they were done for the day and he dragged the laughing Dick away to yell at him.

Of course, he did so without any real venom.

And Dick loved having Slade at the Tower.

That single one moment Dick had had with Terra also seemed to work wonders on the girl’s attitude about things. Everything just seemed better for Terra. Dick was extremely thankful that she had believed in his words enough to try to trust in them. Unfortunately, she was like a baby chick. She followed Dick _everywhere_. In fact, Starfire and Cyborg repeatedly mentioned that the girl always seemed uneasy, unhappy, and just downright moody when Dick wasn’t around.

Wasn’t that a _lovely_ turn of events?

Did that mean… that Terra had a crush on him? _Oh, good grief!_ Heaven forbid. Just what the Tower needed, a four way love triangle or square or whatever one wanted to label it. Raven liked Beast Boy, who liked Terra, who liked Dick, who liked Starfire – could it get any worse than that!?

Dick sighed as he sat at the table with Slade. Someone just shoot him now. _Please_.

He pushed his food around with another sigh, not having much appetite as he did most days recently. Eating made him feel sick now, after a night of viewing those images. Wintergreen made such hearty breakfasts, Dick was definitely unable to eat that much. He loved the old man’s cooking, it was just too much for his unsettled stomach.

“Hey, Dad,” began Dick, frowning at his mostly full breakfast plate. A bit of morbid wit was rising up inside his chest and he would be insane not to let it out. Might as well get a good laugh at this nonsense.

There was a rustle of a newspaper as the man turned the page. There was a noncommittal, “Hm?” before there was another rustle of pages.

“What’s a good gun to use when you wanna kill somebody?”

There was sharp intake of breath from the old man and he whirled around, crying out, “ _Richard!_ ” he admonished, absolutely flabbergasted and appalled.

Slade, on the other hand, was slowly lowering his newspaper; his face appearing from behind its contents a moment later. The man looked like he had been hit by a bus. The old man turned back around to continue his work, still looking disturbed. Dick withheld the smirk that was threatening to expand his face.

“ _What?_ ” breathed Slade, looking absolutely floored. When no answer came, he shook himself briefly and continued, still in that overwhelmingly shocked tone, “W–why do you want to know?”

Dick gave it a moment before he deadpanned with a perfectly straight face, “So, I can shoot myself with it.”

There was the sound of shattering glass as Wintergreen dropped the cup he was holding into the sink. Slade’s hands tensed; crinkling the newspaper in his hands. The man still had that ‘been hit by a bus’ look on his face. Dick winced at the glass – he hadn’t meant to shock the old man. Oops. The old man whirled around furiously.

“ _Richard Jonathan Grayson!_ ” cried Wintergreen, aghast. “You do _not_ say things like that!”

“Uh… But—”

“You do _not_ joke about shooting yourself!”

Dick cringed, seeing that this whole thing had totally dipped down in a completely different direction than he had intended. True, he probably shouldn’t have joked in such a morbid manner, but he didn’t think the old man would flip a lid.

“I’m sorry, Will, I—”

“Unacceptable!” continued Wintergreen, apparently not noticing Dick’s apology. The old man turned around, ranting under his breath, and began to rummage through a drawer. “This is _serious_ and I cannot allow it.”

Dick’s heart about stopped when he saw what the old man pulled out of a drawer. He quickly stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, and backed away out of reach. He nearly ran down the hallway to barricade himself in his bedroom. One thing he had to be thankful for was when Slade dished out his discipline, it had only ever been with his hand and over a clothed behind – not exactly a ‘huge’ relief, but it was something. But when Wintergreen pulled out a wooden spoon, Dick couldn’t help but wonder if he was about have a new experience with something _very_ unpleasant. Fleeing to his bedroom was looking to be a viable option at that moment.

There was a sharp snap.

“Richard, I will not allow you to say such horrifying things about yourself. Now, come here.”

Yeah, Dick was pretty sure that spoon was more horrifying than anything.

Then, suddenly, Slade broke into deep laughter, causing the other two to look over at him. Slade’s low, smooth laughter filled the kitchen and it lifted Dick’s mood. That had to mean Slade wasn’t _that_ unhappy with him. Although, a small chill went down his spine when, after fifteen seconds of this good laughter, it instantly cut off and a dark look entered the man’s features.

“Don’t _ever_ joke like that again. Do you understand me? You’re not suited to it, Dick.”

Dick let out a short, weak laugh, his eyes glancing nervously between the two men. He’d never seen the old man look so angry before. One thing was for sure: he was _never_ going to make Wintergreen angry _ever_ again. Especially with the way he was gripping that spoon! He was more scary than Slade. Well, that’s what Dick thought at that very moment. Nothing was ever set in stone.

“Richard, get over here immediately,” said Wintergreen sharply, his hazel green eyes flashing with controlled anger and displeasure. Another chill went down Dick’s neck to slide all the way down his back. He gulped nervously. Well, wasn’t this _fun?_ What had only been meant for a stupid joke was now turning into a right nightmare – and the old man wasn’t budging there.

It would seem that this wooden spoon’s destiny included a whack or two against Dick’s hide.

“Will, there’s no need for that. Let him go. The boy didn’t mean anything by it,” said Slade finally, after a long moment of Dick hesitating. He looked at Slade, surprised that the man was defending him. Wintergreen seemed displeased by this, however.

“Slade, this is serious. Richard should not be making such flippant jokes about _his life!_ ” cried Wintergreen, dangerously waving his frightening implement in Dick’s direction. “His life is precious!”

Dick sucked in his breath, glancing over at the indignant old man with new wonder in his eyes. That phrase always had special meaning for Dick. His mother had been the one to teach him this concept. She always wanted him to feel how special he was to her and John Grayson, his first father. There had only been two people in Dick’s life that had outright said, _‘Your life is precious.’_

Now there were three.

He’d only meant to tease and joke around. He definitely hadn’t meant to cause _this_ reaction. He hadn’t meant it, of course. Dick had _only_ been joking. _Seriously!_ Why did everything have to get blown out of proportion?

“Will, I was honestly joking. Really and honestly joking,” insisted Dick, his eyes flicking nervously to that spoon. He’d take Slade _any_ day over _that_. _That_ did _not_ look like a pleasant experience waiting to happen. Unless, of course, it wasn’t to be used as a deadly weapon, but used only for scooping out chocolate ice cream. _Yeah_ , the way that old man was holding that spoon, ice cream definitely wasn’t on his mind. “Really, I’m sorry, Will. I won’t say that again. I didn’t mean it. I’m _really_ sorry. Please forgive me.”

“Do not joke like that again!” snapped Wintergreen, putting his hands onto his hips. “It isn’t funny. Gave me a right start, you did! Why on earth would you even say that?”

“I–I was just thinking about Terra and how I think she has developed a crush on me,” stammered Dick hurriedly, anxious to get out of trouble. “I mean, that has got to be a nightmare, right? A four way triangle!”

“A four way?” questioned Slade, raising an eyebrow. Dick instantly went pink.

“Uh–uhm–ah—”

There was a deep, exasperated sigh as Wintergreen, cutting off Dick’s nervous stammers. There was an understanding glance from him and that once extremely stern look faded into softness. Slade was still eyeing Dick oddly, but the man didn’t get a chance to push the matter. Wintergreen rapped the spoon onto the countertop – leaving it there, much to Dick’s utter relief – and opened his arms wide for a hug.

“Come over here, you silly, _exasperating_ child.”

Dick smiled and immediately came over to the old man; wrapping his arms around him. Wintergreen responded in kind, his arms tightly squeezing Dick in a warm hug.

“Don’t you scare me like that, you hear?” murmured Wintergreen in a low voice. “You’re not to be lost, understand?”

“I’m sorry, I was just teasing.”

“Hmph!”

There was a swat to Dick’s seat, not exactly a sharp one, but not necessarily a soft one either – a perfect blend of a love swat and a light reprimand. Then, there was a light giggle as Dick squirmed in the old man’s hold. Somehow, a playful, wrinkled hand had tickled his side briefly. As the hug ended, Wintergreen merely shook his head at Dick with a low sigh.

“I’m too old for such things. You’re going to give me heart failure, child.”

“Oh? You’re _finally_ admitting that you’re going senile?” drawled Slade playfully. “This is an event. Let me get the camera.”

“ _Very_ funny, Slade.”

“I do try.”

There was another giggle. As Dick turned around, he saw that Slade was giving him a small smile. Dick could tell that there was something else on the man’s mind.

“I’ll be picking you up tomorrow,” said Slade, his eye softening slightly. “I’ll be there around five, so be ready.”

“How come you’re picking me up?” asked Dick, walking to the man and leaning against his side comfortably. He felt an arm wrap around his waist, pulling him closer. Slade’s eye slid to the side in its gaze. Dick felt warmth rise inside his chest as he recognized this action – this action of slight vulnerability.

“Well… I was thinking we could pick up a movie and some ice cream. Have a little fun night, you, me, and the senile old man, hm?” said Slade, his voice low and soft; though, there was some mischief glittering there as well.

“ _Oi!_ Who are you calling an old man?”

Dick slowly inhaled, wonder filling his chest. He grinned excitedly and wrapped his arms around Slade’s neck. The man startled somewhat from the sudden gesture, but there was a low chuckle as he patted Dick’s lower back. “I would assume that you approve, then?”

Dick withdrew from the hug and nodded happily.

“Mhm!” 

ooOOOOOoo 

**May 15th, 2009. Friday, 3:21 am.**

Dick bolted upward, his back erect as he took deep, gasping breaths. His head ducked downward as he gulped another breath; his hand clutching the fabric at his chest. There was a soft mewl of protest before sleepy purring continued. Dick pushed the covers off, ignoring the further protests from the small kitten at being disturbed from her sleep. He had to place a hand over his mouth, willing the nausea back down. He did _not_ want to throw up tonight.

Quickly, he stood up, leaving his sleeping area and going straight to the door. The sliding door opened, as it wasn’t locked, and he slipped into the hallway; the shadows engulfing him.

With every control he possessed, Dick tried to block out the images from his nightmare. He tried to block out those renewed words. He _hated_ his doppelganger. Newly added in the list of taunts and cruelty, now his doppelganger told him lies about what would happen when Slade found out that Dick was lying to him.

_“Really, Dickie, no one wants a liar for a son.”_

_“I knew you were weak, but I guess I never realize just how weak you are.”_

_“You can’t even tell Slade about me. You don’t even treat him like he’s your father.”_

_“Pathetic, Robin. Truly pathetic. You’ve definitely reached an all new low.”_

Dick sagged against the wall in the hallway; squeezing his eyes shut against the onslaught of tears that were threatening to burst forth. He needed that voice to shut up. _Go away, go away, go away!_ When would it end? When would it stop saying such horrible things? When would Dick have a night where he no longer had to deal with this any more? Would talking to Slade truly fix it all? Was he being punished for lying to Slade?

A small, tearless sob broke Dick’s lips at that moment and he quickly slapped a hand over his mouth to quiet it, in case there were any further vocal cries. He continued to rest his weight against the wall, twisting to rub his forehead against its cool surface.

What was he going to do?

Finally, Dick pushed himself off the wall and started walking forward; his hand on the wall to steady his weight occasionally. A few minutes passed before he reached the main room of the Tower. The automatic doors slid open and Dick stepped through.

There was no one here. It wasn’t like Dick expected anyone to be there. He honestly didn’t _want_ anyone to see him like this. He was thankful for the stillness that emanated through the room. However, at the same time, he never felt so alone.

Dick walked into the room and went to a window. He couldn’t breathe. He felt as if something were trying to suffocate him; hands trying to crush his throat in an ironclad grip. He needed some fresh air. In a moment, he had opened the window wide to let in the chilly night air. He sat down on the couch and took a deep breath, drawing his legs up beneath himself; his arms wrapped tightly around his knees.

Dick shivered as a gentle, cool sea breeze blew into the room through the open window; the salty air filling his nose. He stared out the large, darkened window of the Tower and watched the glittering, glimmering lights of the city. The lights twinkled their colors and radiance against the peaceful sea water; the gentle waves making the reflections dance brightly.

Tonight, he just couldn’t stay inside his room, even with Kuroi’s soft, comforting presence. There was no way he would be going back to sleep. He felt bad for leaving the kitten behind, but he needed to get out of that room – out of the room where the nightmare lived and breathed in the very air; suffocating him so much that he could actually feel its presence inside his room.

Though the glimmering lights against the ocean water danced in his eyes, all he could see was death – death of his friends and family. All he could hear were those taunting words; each one chipping away at his self esteem with never ending persistence. When would the chips become so deep that he would crumble away?

He shivered again as a breeze blew over him; the cool air stinging his tired eyes. They watered. A tear broke through and slipped down his cheek.

More soon followed, the flow never stopping from their descent down his cheeks. He didn’t bother to wipe them away. He just stared out into the ocean, wondering if he could see the warehouse that held his home. He was just _so tired_ now. He hadn’t had a good night sleep in weeks now – save for that one night – the nightmare held too much power over him. He never could fall back asleep after viewing those images.

He wanted Slade. He wanted his father. He wanted _Dad_.

But at the same time, he couldn’t turn to Slade at that moment. If Slade found out that he’d been hiding the nightmares from him, had _lied_ about them, Dick would be over that man’s knees for a long session of ‘firm parenting’ – and Dick had no doubt that he’d deserve it, too. Heck, the man might even borrow that frightening wooden spoon from Wintergreen – oh, gosh, Dick prayed not. In the end, Dick was just making himself sick, but he didn’t know how to escape the trap he had fallen into; the very trap that he had created for himself.

He just wasn’t sure what to do any more. Confessing seemed too frightening to be a viable option. But if he did, then their fun night tomorrow would be ruined. Yet, the alternative also seemed just as painful. He felt paralyzed, like he couldn’t move either way. Why couldn’t he just go to Slade about this? Was getting in trouble with the man that bad?

Old and most certainly unpleasant memories of Slade’s preferred measure of discipline entered the forefront of Dick’s mind. He closed his eyes in a pained grimace, sending further tears down his cheeks. Okay, it was bad. It was _really_ bad, especially since Slade had been so lenient that last time Dick had done something stupid. If Slade found out that he had screwed up this bad again, then there would be no more lenience. Dick would be in _big_ trouble and he knew it. Lying was something Slade just didn’t tolerate.

But there was something more – _oh, so very much more_.

Dick wasn’t scared of getting in trouble with Slade. He wanted to avoid it at all costs, yes. But afraid? Not at all. But he was afraid of himself. He was afraid of that horrible part of the dream. He could get over seeing his friends and family dying every night. Traumatic, yes, but he could get over it. After all, he was no stranger to it. But the doppelganger who looked like him, spoke like him – and in all sense of the word, _was him_ – was _far_ more frightening beyond anything Dick had ever imagined in his life.

He didn’t want Slade to see that part of himself. He didn’t want it to be real. And yet, every time _he_ spoke, the lies seeped into Dick’s mind like a terrible venom; poisoning all his common sense. That was why he was being foolish. He knew it, but somehow, the poison of those words wouldn’t let him try to change. They clung to him like tar, with no hope of ever removing the black gunk from his mind.

Dick never realized that he could fall so low at that moment.

He sniffled a small sob; dropping his head into his knees. He let himself cry there. The others were asleep and they wouldn’t know. This was his secret, his burden, his stupidity, his foolishness, his heartache, his fear – all his to bear, all his to endure, all alone without help.

Or so he thought.

“Dick?”

The owner of that name bolted his head up in shock and dismay. He knew that voice. No, she could _not_ see him like this. He couldn’t even allow his father to know. How could he tell Starfire anything if he couldn’t even unburden his heart to Slade?

His arms tightened around his knees. His heart tensed and began to beat harder against his chest. There were a few shuddering breaths that overtook his breathing. Unable to handle it any more, Dick dropped his face back into the safety of his knees; the childish thought entering his mind that maybe if he did that, she wouldn’t be able to see him.

But, of course, that wasn’t possible.

A gentle hand touched his thin shoulder. His body tensed at the touch, but it quickly faded away as he felt Starfire’s small, yet powerful arms drawn him toward her body in a comforting embrace. Somehow, she pulled him out of his curled up position and into her arms; his chin resting on her shoulder. He buried his face there.

“You shouldn’t be awake,” murmured Dick, his voice surprisingly unwavering through his tears.

“Neither should you,” whispered Starfire in response.

“I’m always awake at this time of night.”

“Sleeping is healthy, is it not? You should not stay up.”

He didn’t want to stay up. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to tell someone, even if it weren’t the more horrific part of his dream, he _needed_ someone – and Starfire was the only one here. Would he tell her? Would he tell her what he was even hiding from Slade? Hadn’t Slade become _important_ in his life? Hadn’t Slade become someone in Dick’s life who was just as important as his friends?

_Perhaps… even beyond that?_

“Dick… Why were you crying?”

That voice was so gentle; those arms were so warm; the weight of her body against his felt so alive – Dick found himself wrapping his arms around her and burying his face into her shoulder even more. He was tired. He had been content to endure it on his own, but with this softness surrounding him, it was too easy to become unraveled.

Thus, words that should’ve been spoken to his father now slipped out for Starfire’s ears.

“I had… I had a nightmare,” whispered Dick so softly that he wasn’t sure if she heard him. There was a gentle stroke against his back. It continued in a soothing motion.

“A nightmare?”

“Y–yeah… I get… I get them every night now,” said Dick, his tone still painfully soft; his hesitation all throughout his voice. “I can’t sleep afterwards.”

“Oh, Dick,” murmured Starfire, her arms tightening around him more. But it wasn’t unpleasant, nor was it her usual bone crushing hug. It was merely a squeeze of comforting love. “Why have you suffered alone? Why have you not told us?”

A wave of fresh tears flooded into Dick’s eyes at that simple question. His hold on Starfire trembled. _Why_ had he chosen to suffer alone? He could’ve easily spoken to Slade about this. He hadn’t needed to lie. It was foolish and stupid, and Slade would probably find out – he always did. Dick was only causing more trouble for himself.

So, why hadn’t he learned from before?

The second his mind tried to battle the logic of why being a loner, why acting like Robin, why pushing away everyone he held dear was not a good thing, the darker side of his soul rose up and countered perfectly with sly words. It would tell him that this wasn’t like Red X. It would tell him that everyone would think him crazy if he told about the secret parts of his nightmare.

There was no reason for that to happen.

There was no reason to tell _anyone_ , much less Slade, about the darkest part of his heart.

Everyone would abandon him if they _knew_.

The logical part of Dick’s brain was fading more and more with every lie that was fed to his mind. There was a tiny part that told him that this was ridiculous. _Of course_ , Slade wouldn’t abandon him. The man had adopted him, had even retired for him – the man would never abandon him. That tiny part told him that, even now, he should go to Slade for repentance and for release. The man would understand. He wouldn’t be pleased, not at all, and there would probably be a sharp consequence for going so long without saying anything, but it would be far less worse than if he found out by chance.

Slade loved him, after all.

And there was a tiny part of Dick that knew this was true.

But somehow, he was being poisoned by the silky, cruel words of the doppelganger. It felt as if it were attacking his very body and soul; beating his heart apart until it bled profusely. Of course, that was what it felt like. There was nothing truly destroying his body from the inside. It was meant metaphorically.

But not all things were metaphors.

“You are doing it again,” whispered Starfire as she continued to kindly stroke Dick’s back; her actions gentle and mothering.

“Doing what?” asked Dick, matching her tone.

“You do not trust us. You are once again forgetting that you can rely on your friends,” said Starfire, almost chiding like – well, as much as Starfire could ‘chide’ in her gentle voice.

Dick blushed, knowing that Starfire was fully correct. He had fallen back into old habits. He knew it and yet he didn’t listen to that little voice in his head. He regretted it, but he didn’t know how to escape the trap that he had built for himself.

“I don’t mean to…”

As Dick trailed off, a small intake of breath sucked through his mouth as Starfire pulled back from the hug. Dick was extremely lucky that it was very dark in the main room; though, he wouldn’t have been surprised if his cheeks somehow became luminescent from all the blushing they were doing. He could make out her form in the night as they were sitting on the couch; the glimmering light of the city creating glitters against her body. The one thing Dick could truly see, even in the darkness, were her powerful, beautiful eyes.

“I admire Dick more than I admired Robin.”

If Dick had been blushing before, he was _really_ blushing now. He tried to respond, but only embarrassing, stuttering noises came out of his mouth. Yeah, that was impressive. _Very attractive, Grayson._ Dick could nearly feel the heat fry his brain. But it quickly faded as the girl continued.

“Robin did not trust us,” said Starfire, her voice soft; the glittering light of the city reflecting in her eyes. “He kept things close to his heart and never shared with us the things that burdened him. He was my best friend, yet never have I felt such distance. In the end… He was separated from us because of a single poor choice.”

Dick winced, feeling a prick at his heart at that. It was very painful to hear Starfire, of all people, tell him that. She was the one he loved, the one he wanted to impress – he couldn’t do that if he was screwing up so much like he was currently.

“But because of that choice, I got to meet Dick,” whispered Starfire. The glimmer in her eyes couldn’t have been solely from the city lights. “While it was hard being without Robin, our dear friend, Dick is someone far greater than that old leader. _You_ , Dick, are stronger than Robin and you were the one who told me that it was okay to rely on others. Please do not forget this. We are here for you. _I_ am here for you.”

Well, however much Dick didn’t want it to happen, it did. Further tears filled his eyes at her touching words, his face scrunching up with emotion. He wasn’t sure if she was right about him being greater than Robin. Here he was, crying his eyes out. But somehow, he knew that it was okay and that Starfire wouldn’t judge him for his emotions. His feelings were confirmed when she pulled him back into her arms.

The two of them curled against the back of the couch, arms around the other, as Dick slowly quieted his tears. He felt supported by her. She accepted his need for this softness. She had said so herself that she liked Dick better than Robin. She liked the more sensitive boy that Dick was and it was okay. She was wonderful; there were little other words to describe just how _wonderful_ Starfire truly was.

And while being held by Starfire felt different than being held by Slade, it would do at that moment. It wasn’t the right replacement, though. It wasn’t as if Dick didn’t want to hug Starfire – oh, he most certainly did – but there was something special about a father’s embrace.

Starfire couldn’t compare to that.

Of course, Slade couldn’t compare to her hug, either.

How strange was that?

The next morning would reveal two blushing, stuttering teens who had fallen asleep in each other’s arms; the morning sun shining to clothed them in the amber gold rays of the sunrise. It was quite awkward for the both of them and they were extremely lucky no one else had caught the two of them in such a ‘questionable’ place – oh, yes, since both Dick and Starfire were capable of ‘questionable’ things at such young and tender ages. Sarcasm much? Indeed.

While apologies filled the air, neither party was truly remorseful for its occurrence; both relishing in the soft, gentle moment of innocent comfort. Of course, as such things went, neither Dick nor Starfire let the other know.

Perhaps, another time. 

ooOOOOOoo 

 **May 15th, 2009. Friday, 5:03 pm.**  

Currently, there were four Titans having far too much fun playing a competitive video game to notice when Slade entered the main room of the Tower. Dick had been expecting him – had been super excited, in fact – but at that moment, he was a bit in the moment of trying to crush Cyborg at Mario Party in a mini game – both Terra and Beast Boy had already failed at this part in the game.

Raven was reading a book as Starfire sat next to her, watching the game with a bright smile on her face. She was the first one to notice the man’s arrival. She happily lifted into the air and came to his side, greeting him with a delighted smile. When there was a lull in the game, Dick was able to notice his father’s presence. With an excited wave that rivaled Starfire’s enthusiasm, he smiled happily.

“Hi, Dad! We’re in the middle of a game right now. Can you wait?”

Slade nodded, but was unable to say anything in return, due to Starfire chatting with him – or really, _at_ him. Dick smiled to himself as he looked back at the game. It was nice to see Starfire connecting with Slade. He was sure Slade didn’t mind the girl. While she was a bit much at times, there was definitely something special about her and Dick was thankful for the moment they shared last night when she comforted him.

No matter what, he would always love her.

It was a good thing he felt that way, because sometimes even the strongest love was tested – and that was exactly what was to happen at that moment.

As the group of four teens continued their game, various phrases entered Dick’s ears as Starfire spoke animatedly to Slade. The man indulged her, it seemed; listening to her talk. Her main topic was about Dick, so it seemed that it was tolerable for Slade to listen. She talked about many things and if Dick had been paying the best of attention, he’d have blushed furiously. The conversation took a different turn, however.

“And I do hope you will be able to help Dick get over them,” said Starfire, her voice turning serious.

Beast Boy was complaining loudly that Cyborg wasn’t doing her part in watering the Piranha – who was trying to chase Dick’s character down at that moment. Dick was winning.

“Hm? Help him get over what?”

Dick was only vaguely aware of what was being said. But there was something inside his head that was screaming at him to pay better attention to what was going on. Unfortunately, he didn’t listen. But the next sentences that Starfire spoke rang in his ears far more loudly than she had spoken them.

“Oh, help him get over his nightmares. I fear that he is not getting enough sleep at night because of them. I am sure that you will know what to do to help Dick.”

Dick froze from his position from the couch, his insides going cold. The controller shook in his hands as they began to tremble – his game playing stopped. A Piranha just happened to capture and shake his character at that moment. But his attention was no longer on the game – the game was _completely_ forgotten. His breathing intensified. He slowly turned his head backwards. He saw Slade take a deep breath, his countenance turning neutral – but Dick could see the beginnings of a darkened expression there.

“What… did you say?” asked Slade, pausing a moment as he took another breath. “What about Dick having nightmares?”

“He is experiencing them at night,” repeated Starfire with a tilt of her head, as if this was supposed to be common knowledge to the man. Slade turned his gaze to lock eye contact with Dick, who found that he couldn’t break it. He held his breath in pure fright. It was as if the man had the power to hold him there. Without looking at Starfire, the man continued.

“Every night? Is he experiencing them _every night?_ ”

Grey blue never wavered in its gaze into crystal blue.

“Yes, every night. Did you not know?” said Starfire, now appearing confused as she glanced between father and son. It was obvious, this tension that had suddenly risen between the two of them. Everyone in the room was feeling it, their silence ever noticeable; the game paused.

Ratted out by the girl he loved. Wasn’t that a way to go down?

Of course, he didn’t fault Starfire for it. This certainly wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know he’d been keeping secrets from his father. She didn’t know he’d been lying to his father. She was the most comfortable with Slade. It was only natural that she would speak about their only common ground – _him_. She would’ve assumed that Dick had told the man everything.

It wasn’t her fault – it was his.

Dick swallowed once, nearly petrified in his seat. He watched as the man had a visible reaction to this information. Slade’s jaw locked briefly as he inhaled calmly. The muscles in the man’s neck clenched. It took the man a full minute to regain his voice.

“I… see.”

There was another inhale, before an exhale.

“Dick, get up. We’re leaving, _now_.”

Dick swallowed nervously once more. Yup, he was dead. His father was going to kill him in no uncertain terms. Deceased, expired, extinct, perished, pushing up daisies, but certainly not resting in ‘peace’ – all those beautiful terms were going to be the perfect description for Dick’s unfortunate hide. He was pretty sure they weren’t going to stop on the way home for a movie now. With the dread growing inside his chest, he slowly began to rise out of his seat. He saw the man’s grey blue eye flare in anger.

“ _Move!_ ” snapped Slade so harshly that it made everyone in the room flinch.

Dick quickly jolted into action. He handed the controller to Cyborg without another word; doing his utmost best not to look at the older teen in the eye. However, he accidently did and saw the shocked expression, mixed with a little worry within Cyborg’s face. Somehow, that made the whole situation just a little worse. Dick looked back down at the ground as he tried to step away from the couch and closer to his _very_ angry father.

His throat was terribly dry, yet he kept finding the need to swallow every few seconds. Finally, Dick got to the man’s side. He felt small next to the tall, large man. The top of his head barely came up to Slade’s shoulders. Since he was slouching at that very moment, it made Slade’s height feel even more towering over him.

“What is wrong?” asked Starfire, looking between the two of them. “Did I say something wrong? Did I do something wrong? If so, then—”

“No, Star,” whispered Dick, stopping her midsentence. He looked up into her worried monochromatic eyes and tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he only managed to give her a weak one. “I did.”

She sucked in her breath as he said that. He glanced away, unable to look her in the eye any longer. Slade took another inhale of breath. He nodded to the other Titans.

“Dick, say goodbye to your friends. You’ll not be seeing them for a week.”

“What?” cried Beast Boy in shock, bolting to his feet. Dick glanced over at the changeling. “But _why?_ ”

“Because he will be grounded,” snapped Slade, clamping his hand down on the back of Dick’s neck and making him jump in surprise. The man took another visible inhale of breath – an obvious effort to keep himself calm.

“But what for?” demanded Beast Boy, looking unhappy. Dick could see the worry in his green eyes. Terra looked uneasy at the thought of Dick not being at the Tower for a whole week. Dick tried to give the two of them the same reassuring smile that he had attempted to give to Starfire, but like before, he failed at it.

“In a week, should Dick be inclined to regale you with his _infraction_ —” Dick winced as the man emphasized the word. “—you will find out _then_. But not before, as I will not be the one to speak of it.”

“Dad, do we really have to leave right _now?_ ” asked Dick quietly, before he could stop himself. “I mean, we…” He quickly trailed off at the look in Slade’s eye. _Oh, crap_. Of course, he shouldn’t have said that. What was he thinking? He really did have terrible timing sometimes. He could’ve sworn someone had once mentioned that to him. The hand on his neck tightened briefly. Then, Slade leaned down to his ear, the man’s whisper sending a frightening chill down Dick’s spine.

“If you don’t want me to lose it here, I suggest you _obey me_ _immediately_. I am about to blow at any moment.”

Dick gulped and nodded instantly at those words. He glanced back at his friends and tried his failing, reassuring smile again.

“I’ll–I’ll see you guys in a week. I’m sorry,” whispered Dick, swallowing for what felt like the hundredth time since Slade’s arrival. His last word came out even softer. “ _Bye_.”

His last vision of the room was Starfire’s glimmering eyes. They looked so worriedly at him, imprinting their fearful gaze into his mind. It made him feel even worse about it. He felt Slade forcibly turn him towards the sliding doors of the main room. The fear that had been inside Starfire’s eyes now entered Dick’s chest.

This was going to be a very miserable night.

As a smoldering father led an anxious and guilty son out of the room, the remaining Titans were left in stunned silence. It took a moment for them to recover and it was Starfire who was the first – although, her ‘recovering’ was more like pure panic.

“I have gotten Dick in trouble with his father,” whispered Starfire, glancing over at the others who were sitting on the couch. “Oh, I have said something that made Slade very angry. I—”

“Starfire, it wasn’t your fault,” said Raven, though, she too looked unsettled by the development. “Robin obviously did something. If you saw the look on his face, it was obvious he knew he’d done something wrong.”

“But what could’ve gotten Slade so angry like that?” asked Terra, looking uneasy by Dick’s absence. The older Titans had noticed this change in the young girl, though they never mentioned it. “I’ve never seen the guy so furious before. I mean, sure, he’s normally a little scary, but now he looked like he was gonna explode.”

“And I’ve never seen Rob look so guilty in my life,” said Cyborg, rubbing the back of his neck. “Whatever it is, he must’ve done something really bad.”

“But Dick would never do something bad!” cried Starfire, worriedly twisting her hands together. “What could possibly have been so bad that Slade would be that furious?”

“We may never find out,” said Raven, lifting her book back up. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Doubt it,” muttered Beast Boy.

“What d’you mean?” asked Terra with a raised eyebrow.

Beast Boy looked back at the closed doors of the main room. He knew full well what was gonna happen to the older boy. He wasn’t sure what he’d done, but the way Slade had been trying not to blow his top in front of the Titans gave Beast Boy a pretty good idea what was going to happen. He was worried about Dick, there was no doubt about it. Slade looked like he could control himself, but that might not be the case when they got alone.

Just seeing the man so angry reminded him of his days with Mento. His old foster parent had always been quick to get angry and when angry that only meant things were worse. But Dick had told him that Slade was fair. Beast Boy would have to trust in his older friend. Of course, the _second_ Dick got off his grounding, Beast Boy was so gonna corner him for the details.

“Rob’s just in so much trouble,” said Beast Boy with a shrug.

“What? You make it sound like something bad is gonna happen to him,” said Terra, sounding both worried and nonchalant at the same time. “What could Slade possibly do to him that would be so bad? So, he’s grounded. Not a big deal, you know.”

_You don’t know the half of it…_

“Uh, well…”

Beast Boy faltered, trying to think of a good explanation without embarrassing Dick. After that talk the older boy had with him, he knew Dick wouldn’t want Terra to know anything. It was bad the rest of the Titans knew _exactly_ what was going to happen to their poor leader. Or at least they assumed. Beast Boy was pretty sure that if Slade was _that_ mad, Dick would probably get his butt handed to him.

“I’m sure he’s gonna be in for a really… really long, uh… _discussion_.” 

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Thirteen: Lasting Consequences – Dick’s choice to lie to his father finally hits the fan and he is caught within the web he has spun over that past two weeks. The result? Slade is not happy – not happy at all. And thus, for young Dick, a very tough and unpleasant lesson is learned about fading consequences and lasting ones.


	13. Lasting Consequences

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Lasting Consequences**

 

**May 15th, 2009. Friday, 5:03 pm.**

The way home was the most awkward and painful ride Dick had ever experienced.

The boat ride off the island took ten minutes. The car ride home was another fifteen – counting the traffic of the city. The boat ride had been the least painful, because he could keep his distance. But the ride in the car was horrible. He wished he had sat in the back seat. He could feel the silent anger just pouring off Slade in tremendous waves.

And who could blame him? The man had just found out his son had been lying to him this whole time. Dick felt horrible about it. Not only because he was receiving the man’s ire, but because he had broken Slade’s trust. Because of it, their family night had been ruined as well. Slade obviously wasn’t stopping for a movie. He had hoped that he could’ve explained himself. But he could feel that they were past that point. There was no explaining this. He shouldn’t have lied to his father in the first place, it was simple as that.

Now he was going to pay the price.

Dick kept his hands clasped in his lap, staring at them as they trembled there. Every once and awhile, he heard a low huffing exhale from Slade. During those times, Dick would worriedly glance over at the man to see his jaw clenching as he tried to breathe calmly. The man’s hands clenched the steering wheel with enough force to break the device, it seemed – but he never did. Dick would quickly avert his gaze, the guilty fear licking his insides like a growing flame.

He looked out the window, trying to clear his mind about the upcoming discussion that would have _a lot_ of angry lecturing and an uncomfortable grand finale of his hide being roasted on the open flames from the palm of Slade’s iron coated – _Dick swore to this fact_ – hand.

Slade turned down a darker alleyway, the one that Dick knew was the road to the warehouse of the haunt. They slowed as Slade pressed a button on the side of the steering wheel. A garage door opened and the car drove inside. He could see the other car that Wintergreen preferred to use. It was an older model. Dick’s throat was going drier by the second.

Just as the car parked, Slade turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt; the belt rapping against the wall as it snapped there.

“Get out of the car.”

Dick gulped at the stern command and hurried to comply with it. He heard the door slam shut just as his trembling fingers managed to undo the seatbelt. He untangled himself and opened the car door, growing more and more nervous by the second. Just as he stood and shut the car door, a heavy hand grabbed him by the back of his neck; making him jump slightly in surprise.

Without another word, Dick was forced to move forward by the pressure on his neck. From the garage, they entered the large area of the abandoned warehouse. With deft fingers, Slade entered the passcode, the electronic orange door shimmering in response. There was a clicking sound as the door slid open. Slade barely waited for the door to fully open before he pushed Dick forward in a long stride.

The systematic _clinking_ of the gears didn’t sound so welcoming as they usually did when Dick came home. At that moment, they only seemed to reiterate how much trouble Dick was in; as if each _clink_ were a single nail burying him deeper.

Dick was marched through the main room. He didn’t have long to think about the gears above. Slade nearly threw open the door to the kitchen, slamming it shut behind them as they entered. Wintergreen was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a book when he saw them. Dick could see that the old man had prepared a few things for their fun dinner. There was a large pot on the stove and the air smelled faintly of cornbread. Dick’s chest tightened with emotion.

Wintergreen’s cornbread was one of his favorites.

“Welcome home, you two,” said Wintergreen with a warm smile, standing up. Dick closed his eyes and turned his face away, wanting to run away from that kind expression. He didn’t want the old man to know what he had done. He’d be just as disappointed in him as Slade was. One man’s trust broken was more than enough. “I didn’t expect you so soon…”

The old man faltered as he looked at them. He was about to open his mouth, when Slade pointed a sharp finger at him.

“Not—a _word_ ,” said Slade, his voice catching as he spoke. Dick swallowed, his throat becoming increasingly dry. He could literally _feel_ the growing fury in that voice.

Then, without another word, Slade pushed him forward down the hallway; his hand never leaving Dick’s neck. The door of his bedroom was shut behind them with a sharp _snap_. Slade led him straight to the chair in the room, which he pulled out from the desk. Slade was silent as he stood Dick in front of himself with a dangerous squeeze at the arms – as if telling him without words that he had better _not_ move – before sitting down into the desk chair; hitching up his pants slightly at the thighs. The man proceeded to unlatch the buttons at his wrists that obstructed his movement and rolled up his sleeves midway up his forearms.

Just as the man clasped him by the arms once more, no doubt to bend him over his lap, Dick pulled back in weak protest; shaking his head nervously.

“ _Dad, don’t… please_ …” murmured Dick, still shaking his head. Slade’s hands tightened dangerously on his arms, shaking him once as the man’s restrained anger started to slip from its control.

“ _No_ ,” hissed Slade, shaking him roughly once more. “ _No_ , you will _not_ fight me on this. You _earned_ this. You very well earned this a thousand times over! You _lied_ to me. _How could you?!_ ”

Dick’s lips trembled as he looked down at the man’s knees. Slade was wearing his usual black slacks. All he could think about was the fact that he would be going over them any moment now.

“ _Look at me_ — _blast it!_ ” snapped Slade, shaking him again; forcing Dick’s head to jerk back to look at the man. Slade inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring furiously. His tone rose with every ranting word. “I _told_ you before that you would greatly regret lying to me. I expected you to tell me the truth. After I was lenient with you, I expected you to be forthcoming with me. How _dare_ —”

The fury reached its peak in Slade’s expression. The man broke off his speech, making a visible effort to stop the anger that was emanating from his very soul. Slade’s chest heaved as he took deep breaths, letting out each one slowly. It’d been a very long time since Dick had seen the man _this_ livid. It was downright chilling to see him so furious.

“I have to calm down,” said Slade finally, his whole upper body heaving once. He stood abruptly. The man’s chest came into view, the button down white collared shirt taking over Dick’s line of vision. He was instantly reminded of how short he was. He was already feeling small and horrible at that moment, but having the visible reminder that he was still only a child made everything feel so much worse.

“W–what? Why?” asked Dick softly, staring at the immaculate shirt in front of him; unable to look up at his father. Then, he noticed the man turn away, putting his hands onto his hips. He watched the broad back that filled his vision, his insides twisting inside his heart. Then, Slade turned around and pointed at Dick with a furious expression.

“Because if I don’t, you’ll be one _sorry little boy_ —” Dick winced at the _mortifying_ term. “—not that you won’t be once I’m through with you…” said Slade, his grey blue eye flashing with his fury; but he trailed off at the end. His eye closed as he tried to take another calming breath. “But… I might end up hurting you,” he whispered, as he stared up at the ceiling. Dick held back the thought that was saying he was going to get ‘hurt’ anyway, one way or another. What did Slade being calm have anything to do with it?

But his question was answered almost immediately.

“Punishing you when I’m this angry does neither of us any good. Nor does it teach you anything,” continued Slade, his voice low and quiet. Dick bit his lower lip, feeling his eyes burn. The man placed his hands back onto his hips, still looking up at the ceiling. After another moment, the man’s voice spoke again, “This isn’t working.”

Dick’s head bolted up, his mind immediately thinking up all the horrible, insecure possibilities of what that could mean. However, he didn’t have much time to think about it, because the man’s hand once again clamped down on the back of his neck, forcing him to turn around. He was pushed towards the wall and a hand lifted to his head, forcing it downward into the section where the two walls met.

“Stand there until I say so.”

The realization of just how much he had pushed the man to his very edge was beginning to settle on Dick’s mind. He hadn’t been in this position since the time he had tested the man’s trust. That time, it had been embarrassing and humiliating to have to stand in the corner like a naughty child. Yet, here he was again, forced to look at the joined walls, their painted surface mocking him once more in the fact that he had certainly messed up big this time.

Still, Dick attempted to peek back at the man, trying to gauge just how angry Slade was – it made him feel nervous not being able to look at the man when he wanted. Dick saw him move towards the closed door. His vision was obstructed as Slade opened it, making him wonder if he was going to be left in his room to stand in the corner for an indefinite amount of time.

Instead, Dick heard the man shout.

“Will!”

Dick gulped, wondering what was going on now.

“ _Will!_ ”

“I can hear you, Slade,” came the old man’s amused voice. “I’m not deaf, you know. What is it?”

There was another audible exhale of breath.

“Will, could you bring me… two cups of hot chocolate? Please?”

“Two?” Slade must’ve nodded to that, because a moment later, Wintergreen continued, his tone sounding even more amused, “Very well. Would you like marshmallows with them?

“ _No_ ,” snapped Slade, his voice jumping up in volume. There was a pause. Then, his voice softened, “No… No, thank you. Just the hot chocolate, if you please.”

There was a moment where Slade stood there, until he shut the door. Dick glanced back at the man. Slade appeared as if he were still trying to control himself. Dick’s curiosity got the better of him.

“Dad, why—”

“Dick, I don’t think you understand the severity of your current situation,” said Slade, his voice wavering in his smoldering anger. “You would be wise to be _silent_ for now. The amount of trouble you are currently in is _astronomical_.”

Dick’s mouth clamped shut at that.

“You cannot believe how much my mind is trying to process all this,” continued Slade, his voice calm as he spoke; however, the irritation was still bubbling beneath the surface. “The level of confusion is debilitating. Trying to separate my own feelings on this matter from the cause and effect of your infraction is next to impossible. The urge to throttle you is very high.”

It was the most painful moment in Dick’s life – he swore to it. He heard the man begin to wear out a section of his carpeting. For a few moments, all he could hear were the soft footsteps of his father.

“And through it all, I wonder if I’m missing something,” whispered Slade. His pacing slowed. “Why would you hide your nightmares from me? What is the reasoning behind that? Then, my mind goes back to over two weeks ago, when I asked you about it. You only told me _part_ of your nightmare, didn’t you? There’s more, isn’t there? That’s why the nightmares haven’t stopped, because you weren’t fully honest with me _then_. Am I correct?”

There was a pause.

“ _Well?!_ Answer me when I ask you a question!”

“Y–yes, sir.”

“So, when I asked you if you had remembered it all, you _pointblank_ _lied_ to my face. Am I getting this correct or am I just making this up?”

“No, sir,” whispered Dick. “You’re correct.”

“ _So_ , when I later asked you if the nightmares were gone, you decided it best to lie about that, too. You didn’t want to be caught in the first lie. Have I got _that_ correct?”

“Yes, sir,” whispered Dick again, hating himself. The burning inside his eyes was becoming overwhelming; the hurt building inside his eyes just as much as it was building inside his chest.

“It makes me wonder about anything else you’ve told me,” continued Slade, his tone beginning to rise; his voice flowing faster. “How am I supposed to trust anything you’ve said now? What am I supposed to believe, _huh?!_ ”

At that, tears were sliding down Dick’s face, those words more painful than a simple clout on the backside.

“Why did you do it? Why did you _lie_ to me?”

Dick swallowed, his dry throat stopping him from opening his mouth.

“ _Answer me!_ ”

His mouth cracked open and he croaked, “I don’t know. _I don’t know_ …”

“ _You don’t know?_ ” said Slade, his voice heavy with furious incredulity. “ _Well_ , you better figure it out or you’ll be standing there all night long! We will not move from this room until we get some things straight, even if we have to stay here all week. _And so help me_ , Dick, if you do not start spilling your guts about this, I will wallop your backside _every_ night this week that you’re grounded. _Start talking_.”

“I don’t know!” cried Dick, his breathing hitching. He roughly wiped away his tears with the palm of his hand. “I don’t know why I lied. I knew I should’ve told you. I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. I just couldn’t.”

“Don’t you realize that’s worse!” shouted Slade, the hysterical desperation seeping through his tone. “You _knew_ you were lying and you still did it anyway?!”

“Y–yes, sir.”

“And why did I have to find out from _her?!_ ” demanded Slade, his voice rising even more; the feeling of betrayal bleeding through his tone. “You’ll tell _her_ , but not me? _What am I to you?_ ”

“M–my father,” choked Dick, his lips trembling so much he could no longer control them. “ _You’re my_ _father_.”

“ _Really?_ ” drawled Slade derisively, his incredulity dripping venomously. “Because it sure doesn’t seem like it, especially if you’ll go to a friend instead of your father with a subject that is as serious as your _health!_ ”

“It just sort of happened!” cried Dick. “I hadn’t meant to tell her.”

“ _It… just… sort of happened?_ ” repeated Slade, slowly drawing out each word; his voice still heavy with derision. “ _Really?_ I certainly wished you _‘sort of happened’_ to tell me about this sooner, then! How do you think it made me _feel_ , _hm?!_ Learning that you’re _still_ having nightmares _every_ night and that you confided in _her_ , not me. You _told_ me you weren’t. You _flat out lied_ to me! _To my very face!_ ”

Dick could audibly hear the man’s breathing as he tried to control his fury. Every few moments, there would be a deep huff of air. Then, Dick heard the man walk and plop down into the desk chair. Dick peeked backwards to see the man hunched over the desk, his elbows leaning against the surface as he rested his head into his hands. In that moment, Dick could see how torn the man looked. His fingers were digging into his white curls of hair; his head shaking slightly.

Dick looked back at the corner, resting his forehead against the wall. He had done that. He had caused such pain for his father. It was ever so noticeable in Slade’s body language. Knowing that, _seeing_ that, tore apart Dick’s heart; making him hate himself for his foolish actions. He had been so caught up in the worry about revealing his nightmare to Slade that he never considered what the actual lying would do to the man.

He had caused such pain for Slade – _that_ knowledge was enough to destroy Dick.

A knock at the door flooded into the room. The door opened a moment later. Dick sneaked another glance back, seeing that Wintergreen was standing near Slade. The man lifted his head from the desk and accepted the proffered mug.

“Where is Richard?” asked Wintergreen. Dick sucked in his breath, whipping his head back to the corner, not before he saw Slade lift a hand to his position. Dick’s cheeks prickled hotly with embarrassment at being in this position.

“There,” said Slade flatly.

“Oh, dear. I see… Is everything all right?”

“Oh, we’ll get there, I’m sure. But the journey will be a bumpy one _and_ a painful one – for the _both_ of us.”

Dick winced. He risked another glance back. Slade was leaning with one elbow against the desk, his face resting in his hand again. His other hand held onto the mug of hot chocolate that Wintergreen had provided. The old man placed a hand onto Slade’s shoulder. There was a slight stiffening, before Dick watched the man slowly relax from the touch.

“Don’t be too harsh with the boy,” whispered Wintergreen, giving Slade another pat. Dick felt his cheeks burn even more. He turned his gaze back to the wall; his hands clenching at his sides. There was the soft sound of footsteps, until he heard the old man’s voice from behind, “Richard, turn around please.”

A wave of horror washed over Dick in a flood of emotion. He slowly turned around, keeping his head ducked down, so he wouldn’t have to look up into those kind, aged hazel green eyes. His hands clasped the edges of his shirt as they clenched into fists.

“Look at me, Richard.”

Dick slowly complied with the request, his hands moving upward to curl around his chest. His gaze wavered twice as he tried to look up at the old man, catching eye contact twice before he finally rested his sight there. Wintergreen was giving him a soft smile. Dick clenched his jaw to avoid from crying. That sympathetic look was enough to send anyone into deep, repenting tears.

Wintergreen reached out and placed a comforting hand onto Dick’s forearm.

“Good luck, child.”

Dick swallowed once before giving Wintergreen a jerky nod. With that ever caring expression still prevalent through the old man’s wrinkled features, he clasped Dick’s hand gently. He turned the palm upward and placed the mug there. A tear slipped down Dick’s cheek, a lump growing inside his throat. With his spare hand, he roughly wiped it away. He gave the old man a weak smile before looking back down at the hot chocolate in his hand.

Three large, startlingly white, and slightly melted marshmallows were floating in the dark liquid.

Without another word, Wintergreen slipped out of the room; the door shutting closed softly.

Dick sniffled, almost becoming undone by this simple act of love and kindness from the old man that had become a surrogate grandfather to him. He took a sip of the warm liquid. It was sweet, but in the end, Dick couldn’t taste it. He continued to drink, however; enjoying the warmth that was filling his insides. As he drank, he glanced over at Slade, who hadn’t touched his yet. After a few moments of resting his face in his hand, Slade picked up his mug. He stopped once he saw inside.

“Sentimental old fool,” murmured Slade, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Dick didn’t say anything, just standing at his spot and taking deep drinks of the hot chocolate. It was helping his dry throat immensely. At the end of his drink, he swallowed down the three marshmallows; their sugary flavor being the only thing his taste buds identified.

There was a moment of silence where Dick just stood there, his back to the wall, as he clasped the warm mug with both hands. He continued to give Slade sneaking glances, still trying to gauge how much anger Slade was still experiencing. The man was slowly sipping his hot chocolate, never looking over at Dick at his spot in the corner. Finally, as the man set the mug onto the desk surface, he spoke up.

“Go change into your pajamas,” instructed Slade, his voice low, yet powerful; still not looking at Dick. “I want you ready for bed.”

“What, but why? It’s early and—”

“ _Now!_ ”

Dick jumped, startled by the sudden change in the man’s tone. Slade was still furious, it seemed. Dick went to his dresser and quickly pulled out a pair of pajamas. He clutched them to his chest briefly, before going into the bathroom to change. He shut the door, wishing he could lock himself forever in the bathroom. But that was pretty childish, even though he felt like a small kid at that moment. He set the mug onto the countertop. He plopped down onto the closed seat of the toilet and dropped his face into his hands.

All the pent up emotion that had been building up inside Dick’s chest felt like exploding at that moment. The weight of what he had done was bearing down on him with a strength like no other. He had lied to his father – not once, but twice. The man no longer trusted his word.

At that thought, Dick felt like sobbing. The guilt wanted to pour forth from his soul through his eyes. He truly felt repentant for his actions. It was a horrible feeling, these negative emotions. They were so bitter and so harsh as they grew in their presence. They threatened to overwhelm, threatened to swallow him whole in their strength and power over his body and soul. He never thought he’d feel this _bad_.

This was worse than the time he had tested the man’s trust. That time had been one of the few where Dick had been deliberately disobedient. But he’d had a purpose in it all. The payoff for that foolish action had overshadowed the man’s disappointment and sharp reproof. He had solidified his trust in the man and at that time, it had meant the world to Dick.

But this was different. There was no real purpose behind lying to the man. He had only been hiding. He had been afraid. He had slipped so easily into the lie. Fate had even given him a second chance to clear the air, but he had casted it aside, knowing full well what that meant.

The price he was paying for his foolishness was more than the man’s ire, distrust, and soon to be sharp punishment; no, more than that was the unrelenting guilt that bore down on Dick’s heart. It clenched his very muscle within his chest, twisting it painfully with a hand of iron.

There was no escaping from the punishment his own body was giving to himself.

For another moment, Dick sat there, trying to compose himself. Finally, he stood up and shed his clothes; tossing them into the hamper there. He slowly put on his pajama pants and shirt. The fabric was soft, gentle, and light; perfect for sleeping in. However, it made him feel vulnerable, too – as if he were a naughty child about to be put to bed.

Well, unfortunately the fact of life was this was all too correct.

He opened the bathroom door and slowly stepped into the room.

“I’ve changed,” said Dick, his voice meek and soft. From his position in the chair, Slade pointed towards the joining walls.

“Return to your corner.”

If Slade had said ‘the’ corner, Dick might’ve retained what failing dignity he had left. But at the pronouncement of _‘your’_ corner, the mortification of it all overflowed his senses. With intensely heated cheeks, he went to his spot in the corner.

As he stood there, he wasn’t sure how much time had slipped by, but as it did, he was sure that a lot had passed. Soon, his legs were becoming stiff from standing for such a period. How long would Slade require him to stand there, he didn’t know. Occasionally, he’d lift his legs and shake them, trying to get some blood movement back in them. The whole time he stood there, all he could think about was that he had broken the trust of his father.

It was like Red X all over again.

He hadn’t told his friends his plans at that time. Thus, he had made a huge mistake. That was old history. But why was his history repeating itself yet again? Here he had withheld information, just as he had with his friends. However, at the time of the Red X mistake, there had been no one to reprove him sharply. There had been no one to correct him. The hurtful voices of his friends were not enough.

Here, there was someone who saw the mistake and would correct it, whether he liked it or not. That was what it meant to have a parent.

He hadn’t learned anything. How many times would he have this lesson before it truly sunk deep into his mind? His old habit of only relying on himself seemed embedded into his soul. He had been too afraid to let Slade know about the darkest part of his nightmare. By lying about that, it had led to another lie to cover up the first.

Then, once again, he had slipped into that old habit – one which he knew he needed to break fully.

He was faced with those all too familiar phrases that he had asked himself that night he had brooded on his mistake of Red X, except with a new face attached to them.

_Because of his stupidity, he had damaged the trust of his father._

_How long would it be before he could regain his Slade’s trust?_

_What if he couldn’t rebuild what he had destroyed?_

_Could he really piece together the shattered shards of the man’s trust?_

This time, however, he wouldn’t allow anything to stop him from making amends. He couldn’t go months or weeks, or even days, without his father’s trust. Such a thing would tear his soul apart. He needed Slade in his life. He needed this man _so much_. He’d been so stupid. What was the point of having Slade in his life if he didn’t turn to him? Had he not asked himself this two weeks ago? Was it really all that difficult of a concept to understand?

Finally, after what seemed like an hour in that horrible corner, Slade’s quiet voice pulled Dick out of his racing thoughts.

“Turn around, Dick.”

With a nervous swallow, Dick obeyed. The wait was over. The consequence of his lying was about to be administered – and it wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience whatsoever.

“We are going to establish a few things,” said Slade, standing and taking a step forward. The man started pacing a small path on the carpet. He paused every time he directed a question at Dick. “Verbal answers are required during this. First, when I asked you, two weeks ago, if you remembered anything more about your nightmare, you told me no. This was your first lie to me during this, correct?”

Dick nodded meekly. “Yes, sir.”

“Next, when I asked you a few days later if you were still having nightmares, you told me that you weren’t. This was your second lie to me, correct?”

There was a sniffle and a rough palm wiped away a stray tear. “Yes, sir.”

“You knew both times that you were lying to me, correct? You knew this and yet continued forward with them, am I correct?”

“ _Yes, sir_.”

“You have been warned about lying to me and _specifically_ on this topic. Your lying is unacceptable behavior. You trying to cover up something that is dangerous to your health is also unacceptable. You were warned about this beforehand. Were you aware of these facts when you made your choices?”

Dick swallowed. It took him a full minute to voice his condemnation. Slade merely watched him for the full sixty seconds, patiently waiting for the answer they both knew was to come.

“Yes, sir,” whispered Dick with a nod, looking down at the floor. There was a long pause, before Slade let out a long exhale of breath.

“Very well, I believe we’ve exhausted this part of the conversation. Time for some consequences for your poor choices,” said Slade, his sharp tone turning even more stern. He stopped his pacing and sat down on the desk chair. He hitched his pants up slightly, before squaring his shoulders and giving Dick such a firm look that it made his stomach flop uncomfortably. The man lifted a single finger and motioned towards himself, his tone ever ominous, “ _Come to me_.”

Dick swallowed nervously, but the look in Slade’s face told him that there was no escaping this. It’d been over a month – around six weeks – since he found himself in this situation, the last time being when he left to go into outer space in a rocket ship for three days without telling Slade. Now he was faced with all those same feelings; the worry, the guilt, the shame, the apprehension, and the mortification.

He took a step towards the man. That step alone was far too painful for him. He hesitated, curling his arms around his chest and hunching over slightly as he gave the man a pleading look; hoping beyond all hope that there was some freakishly insane chance that Slade wouldn’t resort to this type of punishment. But the dark light in Slade’s eye was flashing dangerously.

“Do not dare trifle with me, Dick,” said Slade, his tone filled with his no nonsense ring. “This is the consequence. You knew it beforehand and you _still_ continued with your choice. You _chose_ this yourself.”

Dick wanted to protest, but he knew the man was right. He walked forward slowly and with shuffling steps. He knew he was pushing his luck by going so slow – he could see the impatience in Slade’s eye. But he couldn’t help it. He was barely two feet away when Slade’s arm reached out and grabbed him by the wrist; sharply tugging him forward and depositing him suddenly over the man’s waiting knees.

There was no pause, nor hesitation on Slade’s part. Dick let out a small gasp of surprise when the first swat met his seat. He hadn’t had any time to prepare himself for the onslaught that raged against his backside. He quickly had to grab onto the black slacks of Slade’s pants and a leg of the chair to steady himself. He wanted to curse over the fact that Slade had made him change into his pajamas. His jeans would’ve buffered the strikes better. The thin cloth wasn’t doing much to protect him from the sharp, stinging pain that now already flooded through the targeted area.

His mind was in a flurry of conflict. However, whenever he tried to grasp onto a single thought, it was slapped away – the signal coming straight from his fiery seat. He both hated this and accepted it. He knew Slade’s position on lying, disobedience, and disrespect. He knew it. He had known it when he spoke the lie. And yet, he had done it anyway; knowing _full well_ what would happen once Slade found out.

It didn’t matter that he felt that this was too childish for him. It didn’t matter that he was fifteen. He deserved this. Slade was right, after all. He usually was. Dick was still making stupid choices about his life. That alone proved that he wasn’t anything more than a naughty child who had done something very stupid. It was Slade’s choice on how to correct the behavior. He was in charge. His word was law.

And Dick accepted that law.

He accepted it without argument. With the love, came the discipline; with the hugs, came the sharp reproofs; with the comfort, came the chastisement; with the care and kindness, came the firmness and strictness – all opposites, all required, all needed, all _wanted_.

And even though it didn’t always feel fair, Dick knew it _was_ fair. Sometimes, it wasn’t always pleasant, as it currently most certainly wasn’t. He would just have to suck it up and take this punishment like a man. He would remain strong during this.

Or, at least, that had been the plan.

That is, until Slade did something he had never done before while doling out this unpleasantness: he started _lecturing_.

“You promised that you would never lie to me,” started Slade. “You _broke_ that promise. You _lied_. Do you truly understand the enormity of this?” When there was no answer, a stern voice, coupled with a sharp reproof came, “ _Verbal answers_.”

“Y–yes, s–sir,” gasped Dick, finding it _very_ hard to speak during this. “I just–just didn’t think—I didn’t want anyone to know about the nightmares.”

It was nigh impossible to think of coherent sentences to give to the man in his current position, let alone _speak_ them. The embarrassment of his position had long faded to simply trying to survive the moment. He wanted to get through this without crying. But with every piercing word, the damage to his sensitive heart was becoming vast. Forget the sting – Slade’s words hurt far more than any swat to his seat. There were already tears forming at his eyes and as the man spoke, they began to fall; soaking into the soft carpet below.

“You’ve not been taking this subject seriously,” scolded Slade, pausing for a brief moment. “I thought you understood that holding information back that could be detrimental to your health was a _lie_. You boldly told a lie to my face, but on top of it all, you held back information that I could use to _help you_. You told Starfire, whether you meant to or not. _This is unacceptable_.”

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” choked Dick.

“That doesn’t change anything!” snapped Slade, his hand sharply connecting once more; making Dick yelp and jump in surprise. “Even after saying you’re sorry, you are still in this unfortunate position and I still have been lied to – saying ‘sorry’ doesn’t change a _blasted thing!_ ”

“ _I know_.”

“Do you? Do you _really?_ ” growled Slade, the man’s hand not pausing in its barrage now. The tirade continued effortlessly, “You don’t realize the magnitude that this is causing to your health. Or maybe you do, and you still chose to lie and ignore it. Don’t think I’ve not noticed. The bags underneath your eyes have become near bruises now. Your appetite has been waning. You’re becoming sicker by the day, aren’t you? _What am I to do with you? How can I trust you now?!_ ”

The man’s words were like knives to Dick’s tender heart. They were sharper and far more piercing than the actual spanking itself. Their power was unprecedented. They tore through his heart with a vengeance, causing the dam of his emotions to break through; the river pouring through past all the barriers that Dick had built for himself.

His left arm became a buffer; releasing it from its hold on the leg of the chair. He dropped his head into the crook of his elbow, feeling the hot tears gather against his skin. His other hand continued to hold onto the fabric of Slade’s pants; his fingers clenched tightly there. His sobs were quiet, but slowly increasing in their strength. He had messed up so bad. He just wanted everything to go back to normal. He wanted to go back to that point where he had gotten a second chance to clear the air. He should’ve told Slade about the rest of the nightmare. He should’ve told Slade about his continual haunted nights. He shouldn’t have lied about it.

But for this moment, it was too late for all that. He couldn’t go back to fix his mistake. All he could do now was be repentant and try to rebuild the shattered trust he had destroyed.

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” sobbed Dick inside his arm, his voice barely rising above a murmur. “I won’t lie again. _I promise_. I’ll do everything I can to make you believe me!”

“Oh, yes, _believe me_ , I will hold you to that promise,” said Slade sharply, his onslaught still never ending. When was it going to end? “If this _ever_ happens again, you can be rest assured that _this_ part will always occur. I don’t care if you’re fifteen or twenty-five or – _blast it_ – _fifty-five_ , you are _not_ to lie to me _ever_ again!”

Dick could only nod and murmur out – though, they came out more like blubbers – further apologies. He barely noticed that, soon after, the raging barrage of slaps to his seat had ceased suddenly. A hand rested against his back, patting lightly. A few moments passed as Dick continued to nearly weep into his arm, his warm tears soaking into his skin. It was soft, but he couldn’t stop no matter how much he tried. His heart hurt too much. He simply felt _awful_ about his actions.

“We are done here,” whispered Slade. “You may get up.

Dick’s chest was heaving, his gasping sobs shuddering his entire body. Every muscle in his body felt fragile. He hated himself for being so weak over something as little as a spanking – even though it didn’t feel so ‘little’ since there was currently a fiery, blazing sting that wasn’t fading quite yet from his seat. But he knew it wasn’t that which caused the tears. It was only the final push over the edge. It had truly been all of Slade’s words that were bringing his tears. He felt horrible about lying. He felt horrible about breaking the man’s trust in him. Even now, he still wasn’t sure why he did it. He hadn’t meant to lie. They had just formed and flowed so easily – far too easily.

Before he had known it, he’d been caught in the web with no hope of escaping until the web burned down at Slade’s knowledge of his lies.

Strong hands slipped beneath his armpits and gently lifted him to stand. Dick lifted his right arm to his face, hiding it into the crook of his elbow again. His shoulders jerked with his shuddering breaths. He didn’t want to be seen crying like this. But there was nowhere to hide here. His other arm snaked upward to curled around his wrist, his hand intertwining with his other hand to rest on his shoulder. He hiccupped once, much to his horror.

“I am so disappointed in you,” whispered Slade, causing Dick’s heart to nearly fail. He tried to hold back the sob that broke through his lips, but it came anyway, small and choked. He felt a hand curl around the small of his back. It stayed there, bringing with it a warmth like no other. “You’re a very good boy and—”

“No, I’m not,” croaked Dick, nearly choking on himself. “I’m _not_ , I’m—”

“ _Shh_ ,” said Slade, firmly overriding him. “You are wrong. You are _very good_. One mistake doesn’t make you bad. You’re the one who taught me that, were you not? By accepting _me_ and all my past mistakes, you showed me that one can rise above it all and perhaps even be forgiven. Are you not able to do the same for yourself?”

Dick dropped his arms suddenly, his wet eyes widening. A soft expression came over Slade. Once again, Dick found himself pulled onto that very strong lap. But this time, he was sitting on it, his legs dangling over the side. His fiery, stinging seat protested against being placed on such a firm surface, but those arms that wrapped around his waist were more than enough for Dick to not mind it so much. He rested his head against the man’s chest near his shoulder.

“You told a lie,” said Slade, making Dick feel sick yet again. But the man’s voice was soft and tender, nothing like the fury that he had shown moments ago. “Two, in fact, as lies usually lead to another – and I am thoroughly disappointed about that. But you’re still a very good boy; one of the best I’ve seen. Usually, you have good intentions when you make a mistake of this level.”

Another tear slipped down Dick’s cheek. He buried his face into the hard chest that was provided for him; rubbing his flushed skin against the firm texture of the man’s shirt. Warm arms around wrapped themselves around his upper body, drawing him closer into the firm embrace. Dick felt the man’s head rest on top of his own. His breathing slowed, only occasionally shuddering as he breathed inward. His heart was being calmed now because the man had pulled him into the hug. Did that mean he was forgiven? Did that mean everything could be repaired? Did that mean Dick had a second chance to rebuild the man’s trust in him?

“You’re starting to frighten me, Dick,” murmured Slade. He could feel the man’s jaw lifting on top of his head as he spoke. “Your unconcerned ways with your health are dangerous. Your nightmares are still continuing and it’s greatly affecting your health. How am I supposed to help you, protect you, if I don’t know something’s wrong? Lying about it doesn’t do anyone any good, least of all you.”

Dick swallowed once, feeling the pressure of his tears building up again within his eyes. Was this man never done with his smarting words?

“You should be thankful to Starfire for speaking up – even if it did get you into trouble faster – because she might’ve helped save you from yourself. Understand that, no matter what, I’ll always find out if you’re lying to me. There’s no hiding it from me. The longer you’ve gone lying, the more furious I will be with you and the more trouble you’ll find yourself entrenched in. I’ll nip this lying in the bud _immediately_ and _every time_.”

There was a sharp sigh, the vibrations flowing over Dick’s body.

“I just don’t understand your actions. You still haven’t explained fully why you lied to me. What am I supposed to do for you? I don’t understand why this is something to lie about. Does spanking you remind you not to lie again? Will you remember this unpleasantness the next time your tongue and mind wishes to lie to me? Will you truly _remember?_ ”

The man’s head ducked slightly against Dick, his strong arms tightening around his small body. The next whisper that slipped into the air was ever so soft and tender, almost as if it hadn’t meant to be released.

“ _Am I doing something wrong?_ ”

A deep, twisting pain shook Dick’s heart. He quickly turned in his seat, ignoring the sting that flared up from his movement, and wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. He shook his head, trying to open his mouth to voice his feelings, but somehow they were locked inside his throat. For a moment, all he could do was shake his head, until the words finally choked out.

“ _No_ ,” whispered Dick. “ _I’m sorry_. My fault— _all my fault_. I’m sorry, please forgive me. I’ll remember. _I promise_.”

“ _Shh_ , you are forgiven, Dick,” said Slade softly, his voice caringly gentle. “I truly hope you’ll keep to your word.” There was instant nodding to this. “Because… my heart can’t handle it. Please don’t put me through this again. _Please_.”

An intake of breath came over Dick. He nodded again.

“I don’t like doing this to you. Not one bit,” whispered Slade, emotion flowing through his tone. His voice was mixed with his instructing tone, but in there was the tenderness of a loving father. “But I will do so again and again, so you might understand. The consequence of a smarting backside will not last. But the consequences that will occur from poor choices may be irreversible and everlasting with their mark on your life. I am the perfect example of such things. My sins have born a terrible consequence that I can never restore. I can never bring back Grant. I can never fix Joey’s voice. I can never restore the lost time I could’ve had with my family. And yet, I have you now. You are a blessing upon my life. Thus, for you, better to have fading consequences now, rather than ones that’ll cause you endless grief for a lifetime.”

There was a harsh chuckle, a self deprecating tone entering there.

“That is a parent’s prerogative: to teach and train their children, so that they don’t make the same mistakes that they have already committed. Learn from my mistakes, Dick.”

Dick nodded, tears falling down his cheeks again. He knew that Slade regretted his choices concerning his previous family. In part, some of them were not permanent, as Rose and Joey were due to visit near the end of May. There was still a chance to reconnect. But Grant could never come back from the Veil. His snuffed life could not be restored. Dick tightened his arms around the man’s neck, feeling Slade do the same around his waist. He felt Slade’s face drop into his neck, a hoarse, duplicate plea entering his ear in a terrible, soft whisper.

“ _Learn from my mistakes, Dick_.”

In the which, within that warm embrace, Dick silently vowed to do just that.

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Fourteen: Purifying the Misdeed – Dick fulfills his one week grounding sentence with an exceptional attitude and during the week, father and son are given time together. Finally, Dick reveals every part of his nightmare to Slade.


	14. Purifying the Misdeed

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Purifying the Misdeed**

 

**May 20th, 2009. Tuesday, 11:24 am.**

A phone rang, temporarily stopping the scrubbing motions that Dick was currently undertaking. The floor was already pretty clean, due to Wintergreen’s efforts. However, because of his punishment of being grounded for a week, Dick had been set a huge number of daily chores. Scrubbing an already pristine floor was one of them.

But Dick didn’t complain.

It wasn’t even noon yet and Dick had done the morning dishes by himself; had learned how to do the laundry and complete it by himself – much to Wintergreen’s dismay, but he relented once he saw that Dick learned well; had cleaned the countertops and the cabinets; and finally, was spending the time before lunch to clean the kitchen floors.

But once again, no complaints fell from Dick’s lips.

The nice thing about it all was that Slade always seemed to need to do something in the same room where Dick was working. Dick was thankful that Slade was doing this, even if the man attempted to cover it up by making some excuse – like why he was needed in the laundry room where there was nothing for him to do. Something about a leak? Yeah, Slade wasn’t exactly fooling anyone, but the gestures didn’t go unnoticed by Dick.

So, even with the required chores, Dick was never alone, for which he was terribly grateful for – he wasn’t sure how he’d feel if he were to be alone during this. It showed that he was still loved and even forgiven; though, every day Dick still needed verbal confirmations of those facts and Slade gave them freely. Dick wasn’t sure why he needed them; he just did. The man seemed to understand that Dick needed them and he never begrudged a hug or a soft word.

It was nice to know that while, yes, Dick had made a grave mistake and that, yes, he had lost Slade’s trust, there was still a chance to fix it all; there was still the chance for everything to get better. The guilt easily began to slip away for the mistake he had made. While there was a part of Dick that wanted to dwell on the matter and sink low into the despair at causing such heartache to his father, it seemed that the sin had been forgotten to Slade.

He simply never mentioned it any more.

That alone told Dick to move on. If Slade wasn’t mentioning it any more, he was telling Dick that it was forgiven and that Dick needed to forgive himself.

Which seemed to be the hardest forgiveness to obtain.

So, Dick was content to live out his punishment completely. With the daily chores, he was also grounded from sparring. All training with the Titans ceased as well – Dick was pretty sure Cyborg wasn’t devastated by that news. However, Slade made Dick go through the basics as to keep him in shape. Slade seemed to know just how much Dick now enjoyed their spars with each other; thus, the grounding had been expanded to that. On top of it all, Dick had also been assigned a five page essay on the effect his lying had for everyone involved, including the repercussions he had received. It was due by the end of his grounding; however, until its completion, Dick would not be released from his house arrest.

By the first day following this regiment, Dick had fallen into bed, achy and exhausted.

And the next day, it’d been the same, but Dick never complained.

Dick glanced over at his father, who was sitting at the kitchen table. The phone rang again and Slade dipped into his pocket, bringing out the same phone he had taken away from Dick on Friday – another penalty during the grounding, which also included the removal his iPod and DS with its respective games. Slade brought it to his ear.

“Yes?”

Dick could recognize that voice anywhere, especially went it screamed out of the phone, causing even Slade to pull the offending phone away from his ear.

“ _Ah! Slade!_ Did you kill Robin and steal his phone from his dead body?” demanded the indignant voice of Beast Boy. Slade glanced down at Dick, a thoroughly amused look flooding his features.

“No. I didn’t.”

“Why do you have his phone, then? Why haven’t we heard from him? Is he still alive? _How do we know you didn’t off him?!_ ”

“Because I _confiscated_ his phone, you impossible green child,” said Slade, still sounding amused; however, there was a hint of annoyance entering his tone. “Upon completion of his grounding, you may see him, but not beforehand. You may have your gloriously tearful reunion this Saturday, provided he completes the requirements of his penalty. Now don’t call this phone again.”

Slade ended the call and glanced down at Dick, who gave the man a sheepish expression. Then, Dick turned back to his work; scrubbing the clean tiled flooring as if it had ten levels of dirt on it. As he continued his work, he sneaked a peek back up at Slade. There was a small, amused expression crossing the man’s features as he turned the pages of his newspaper. With a smile of his own, Dick went back to work; simply enjoying the quiet company of his father.

It wasn’t much longer afterwards that Wintergreen insisted that Dick stop for lunch. While Dick’s appetite had waned considerably due to the nightmares, he couldn’t bring himself to argue or disobey either man. Especially when Slade asked him to try to eat. Thus, there’d been nothing to do but sit down at the table and hope that something would settle inside his stomach.

But Wintergreen seemed to know about Dick’s waning appetite and provided him with a bowl of some delicious soup. It was perfect for Dick and he found that he could eat the entire thing. It warmed his entire body and filled him up quite nicely. He gave the old man an appreciative smile, in the which he received one in return.

It was after lunch that Dick decided it was time to get some more work done on his essay. He wanted to put enough effort into it and show his father that he truly was repentant of his actions.

He never wanted to disappoint the man like that again.

“I’m gonna get some more work done on the essay, okay, Dad?” said Dick, standing up from the table. Slade gave him a nod. After a brief moment of hesitation, the boy shyly came to his side and latched a hand onto his sleeve. Seeing the usual routine that the child insisted upon, Slade opened his arms and pulled him into a hug. He felt the child relax and settle inside there in the embrace.

“ _Dad?_ ” came the soft whisper.

“The answers are always yes, son,” responded Slade, before Dick could ask. He felt the tightening of arms around his waist. Slade held the boy for a moment until he gave him a gentle swat and pushed him back. He gave Dick a soft pat on the cheek. “Best get to it, then.”

Dick gave him a bright smile and left to walk down the hallway. Slade watched the receding frame of his son, feeling the worry rise back up through his chest. Dick still had those bruises beneath his eyes, signifying that he wasn’t sleeping well at night. He was still having the nightmares every night. Every morning, Dick would tell Slade exactly how much sleep he got and that he had the same nightmare again. Slade had to admit, he truly was becoming worried for the child. These nightmares couldn’t be normal. There just was no way. Something strange was going on. He wasn’t sure what could be done, though.

One night, the nightmare must’ve been exceptionally bad, because a scream had torn Slade from his own sleep. It had even woken Wintergreen, who had always been a deep sleeper. After reassuring the old man that he would take care of Dick, he had gone to the boy’s room only to find him doubled over the toilet bowl, vomiting violently. He had knelt down beside the sobbing boy as he expelled the contents of his stomach for about five minutes. All Slade could do was rub his back and try to offer comfort in the difficult moment.

After the episode, all Dick did was apologize for waking him. By the fifth time, Slade threatened to swat him if he kept that up. The boy, at least, cracked a watery grin at that. Once the boy cleaned up, Slade completely ignored the protests and picked Dick up like a little child – he was so light, it was easy to do. Slade took the complaining child to his bedroom, where Slade finally told him to shut up.

Even then, it took Dick two hours to fall asleep while curled at his side. Slade spent the entire time simply stroking the damp brow of black bangs. He knew how much Dick wanted affectionate moments – and he had hoped that it would soothe the troubled child’s heart and mind if he were safe inside his father’s room and bed. It was only when he listened to the deepened breathing of the child that Slade felt a sigh of relief escape his lips. This boy would be the death of him, there was no doubt in his mind. He couldn’t understand why something like this was happening to Dick.

There was something strange going on. There was something more here and Slade couldn’t put his finger on it. What could cause such violent nightmares?

“Slade, are you all right?” asked Wintergreen, breaking Slade from his thoughts. He looked up at the old man and shook his head.

“I was just thinking about Dick’s nightmares,” said Slade. “I’m worried about him.”

“I’m sure they’ll pass soon. Talking to you will do him a world of good.”

“These aren’t normal nightmares, Will,” said Slade, keeping his tone even, though there was deep worry there inside. “They just can’t be normal. I don’t think him even telling me all of the nightmare will stop them.”

“Wait, he still hasn’t told you?” asked Wintergreen, sounding surprised. When Slade shook his head, the old man’s tone turned to chiding. “Slade, why haven’t you required it by now. It’s been over four days since the beginning of his grounding period and you still haven’t required him to reveal what he lied about in the first place?”

“You’d be reluctant to force it out of him if you saw the look in his eyes whenever I mention it,” retorted Slade hotly, tensing defensively at being questioned on this. “I’ve never seen such pain in those eyes before – never before, I’m serious, Will. There’s something big here.”

“Still, Slade, you shouldn’t let it go this long,” said Wintergreen, shaking his head. “He needs to get it off his chest or he’ll never be able to let go of his guilt about lying to you. Haven’t you seen him struggling with it? Simply spanking him isn’t going to help him get over this, though, I’m sure it helped with his initial guilt. He needs to reveal the reasoning to why he lied in the first place or else he’s still keeping things from you as he was in the beginning.”

Slade sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbow onto the surface of the table. He dropped his head into his hands and ran his fingers through his hair. He felt a hand touch his upper shoulder.

“The hardest part is over, wouldn’t you say?” said Wintergreen with a low whisper. “Talking should be easy compared to what you had to do on Friday.”

Slade closed his eye and nodded. That much was true. He wasn’t sure how it came to be, though. He’d always been able to be firm with his sons. Dick was just another son, wasn’t he? How could he have become so much more? Was it because he was the one to lift Slade back up? Was it because he was the child that gave Slade the sense of peace and contentment in his life? It wasn’t that Slade’s other children couldn’t have been that.

Slade had just missed that chance.

It’d been true, what he had said to Dick. He couldn’t bear to hear those heart wrenching sobs that had overtaken the boy as he accepted his punishment. He couldn’t bear to see those crystal blue eyes glistening with his cries, nor those black eyelashes clumped together due to those tears. Slade could only think, when he saw those tears and heard those sobs, that he was the cause of that.

But in the next breath, he knew that he wasn’t the cause. _Dick_ was the one who brought it upon himself and he needed to pay the price for it. He needed consequences or else there would be further poor choices in the future. He needed to feel the guilt. He needed to feel the remorse. He needed the tears. He needed to feel all those things to prevent such things from happening again. Slade knew this and yet he still hated having to be the one to teach Dick that.

And through it all, Slade had felt his own whirling feelings threaten to destroy him. He realized just how much Dick had grown to be more than just a son – though, he very much was that – the boy had also become exactly what Slade had always wanted in an apprentice; a _companion_ of sorts. Dick was a friend to Slade in so many ways, a companion whom was just different than Wintergreen – though, the old man was certainly Slade’s best friend. The child’s mere presence in their home just brightened everything. _Everything_ just seemed _better_ when that boy was around, his smile lighting the room and home better than a light bulb.

Slade had wanted that, but hadn’t truly realized it when he had taken the boy in the attempts to make him his apprentice. It had been true, Slade had always wanted the special companionship that was a son.

Thus, to know that Dick lied to him had been a true stab in the heart for Slade. He hadn’t ever felt that way before. There was something about Dick that just unlocked every possible emotion in Slade. That boy truly was something special. To feel betrayal, when Slade hadn’t even felt that when Adeline turned her back on him, was something all too new to him.

It took Slade over an hour to remember his position in Dick’s life. He was the _father_ , not the friend. There was no true betrayal on Dick’s part, just a foolish, childish mistake – broken promises happened all the time with children. They were young, inexperienced, and undisciplined. While, yes, there would be times that he would be friends – even best friends – with his son, there were those times he had to be the almighty father figure. Unacceptable behavior had to be corrected; thus, it was.

He’d had to come to terms with that. It had taken him the good part of an hour and then some to do so. Once he did, then correcting the behavior had been simple. When it was over, he slipped back into the caring friend of a father – the one that comforted, the one that held a sobbing child, the one that chided and begged for the child to do better.

Because, in the end, Slade just didn’t want to punish Dick ever again.

But, of course, that was wishful thinking. Being a parent was hard, truly it was. In fact, being a parent just downright sucked – to put it in terms that his son _shouldn’t_ use. At least, the hard, unrewarding part did. The hugs, the happy, loving child – that _all_ was _worth it_. Of course, only expecting things to be easy and wonderful in life just was completely unrealistic. Slade knew there would come times where being a father was more important than being a friend.

He still could wish for it, couldn’t he?

How far he had come. How far they had both come. Slade was a father in every sense of the word now. It was truly amazing. He had gone from hardened mercenary to full time father in such a short amount of time.

And Slade would never go back.

He _never_ wanted to go back. The very thought of going back to such a man and such a time caused horrible pain to Slade’s soul. After tasting something so wonderful, going back would never be allowed. Even though sometimes it was hard, Slade would do everything he could to keep what he had now. And while time was precious and limited, Slade was going to savor every moment.

Even the painful ones.

“Best not put it off too much longer, Slade,” said Wintergreen softly. The hand on Slade’s shoulder lifted away, giving one final pat before it did so. Slade let out another sigh and nodded.

“Tomorrow, I’ll push it,” said Slade in a low murmur. He ignored the light chuckle that came from the old man. With yet another sigh, Slade pushed himself off the table and stood up. “I’m going to check on the boy.”

“Dear me, Slade,” drawled Wintergreen in a playful tone. “If you mother hen that child any more, I swear I’ll hear the clucking from your voice.”

Slade cringed and whirled back around to glare at the old man.

“I am not being a mother hen!” snapped Slade, growling fiercely; bristling at the term. The nerve of this old man! Wintergreen didn’t look phased whatsoever. He merely gave Slade a satisfied look on his wrinkled features. He opened his mouth and clicked his tongue elaborately.

“ _Cluck, cluck,_ ” said Wintergreen with an extremely smug expression. “You keep hovering over that child wherever he goes. What purpose did you have in the laundry room, anyway?”

“There was a leak,” supplied Slade, already knowing just how lame that answer was. Good grief, what was happening to him?

“Mmhmm, of course, there was. _Where_ , exactly?”

“Oh, just leave it, Will,” sighed Slade, giving up before he was verbally tortured further. “I know I was hovering over the boy. I just…”

Slade trailed off and looked away, putting his hands onto his hips. He knew just how sensitive Dick was. Honestly, that boy gave Joey a run for his money on just how sensitive he was. Slade never questioned it, however; knowing full well the painful past that he had endured. He knew that Dick needed reassurance. Every day, the boy would come up to him and ask for a hug – _ask!_ The silly child would _ask_ for it, as if they were rationed out. Then, the boy would proceed to ask three things.

_‘Do you forgive me?’_

_‘Are you still mad at me?’_

_‘Do you still love me?’_

And every time Slade heard those questions, his heart would break and it was all he could do to reassure the silly child of the answers. Of course, he was hovering over Dick! The insecure boy made it _so_ easy to do. Slade didn’t even need an excuse. The boy needed and wanted it, but obviously didn’t know how to ask for it. Either that or he was embarrassed, which that was at least something. Wintergreen was right. Dick still felt guilty about his actions and would continue to do so until he spoke of the nightmare in its entirety. It was the reason for lying; thus, it was best to get to the bottom of it all.

“I understand, Slade,” said Wintergreen in a soft voice. “I feel the same way, actually. Go see to your son.”

Slade gave the old man an appreciative smile and proceeded to walk down the hallway. Dick’s bedroom door was ajar, so Slade pushed it open carefully. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly cut off at the sight that was before him. He walked further inside and stopped next to Dick’s position.

A smile tugged at Slade’s lips.

The boy had fallen asleep at his desk, his arms folded beneath his head. The essay that he had been working on was scrunched beneath his face, the paper crinkled. From what Slade could tell, there were only a few sentences on the page there. His hand slowly dipped down to brush those black bangs that were hanging down over the child’s brow. Dick didn’t stir from Slade’s touch, his chest slowly rising and falling with his deep breathing.

The boy had certainly been making an effort the past few days to rectify his mistake. He never complained about any of the chores that he had to do, nor did he complain about the grounding period from the Tower. He never asked if there was trouble or how the Titans were doing. He spent each day working hard until he collapsed into bed. He never whined about it or about how tired he was.

Dick truly was a remarkable kid.

Slade could visibly see the effort. It was stunning to him. What child wouldn’t complain during a punishment period? Any other child would gripe, mope, and complain during such a time – or even try to get out of such a grounding. It was more than obvious that Dick felt extremely remorseful for his wrongdoing. He’d been on his best behavior these few days. He never back talked. His answers were always respectful. He did everything he was asked immediately and with vigor, even when he didn’t want to do it, like eating during mealtimes.

And Slade was proud of him.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the intense, rigid schedule had finally taken its toll on the boy. There was nothing he could do at the moment for the boy besides letting him sleep when he could. But sleeping in such a position would do wonders for his back. With slow, careful movements, Slade slipped his arms beneath the boy’s armpits. A moment later, the boy had been lifted into the air and was inside his arms. Good grief, the child was light, despite being a healthy teen. He felt Dick stir there, his arms curling around Slade’s neck. Automatically, legs slowly wrapped around his waist as he adjusted the boy in his arms.

“ _Mm_ , Dad?” murmured Dick, his head resting against Slade’s neck. “ _What…?_ ”

“You fell asleep,” said Slade, keeping his voice soft. He didn’t move from where he stood. Somehow, a strange sensation was coming over him at that moment. Now that the boy was in his arms, he didn’t want to let him go. He hadn’t realized it, but he enjoyed it when the boy was clingy. The past few days had been refreshing for Slade. All the hugs that the boy seemed to need had been enjoyable for Slade as well. He was more than content to humor the boy.

“ _Oh_ …” There was more stirring. The boy tried to pull back in Slade’s arms. “I better… I better get back to work…”

Slade pressed a hand against Dick’s back, forcing him back down into his arms. The boy was too weak to have the energy to protest against this action.

“ _Shh_ , it’s all right. I believe a nap would do you a world of good.”

“Haven’t got time for a nap,” murmured Dick. “Gotta get back to work. Gotta finish that essay.”

“You are starting to sound like a middle aged man on me. This is forbidden.”

There was a sleepy giggle.

“Have to… Have to make up for my…”

There was a gentle murmuring of the boy falling back into slumber, his voice whispering softly in his sleep. His limbs slackened in Slade’s arms. He could feel the deep breathing of the boy’s chest against his heart. Well, Slade found himself in a dilemma. He didn’t want to wake the child, nor did he want to stop holding him. Very strange dilemma indeed. And any person who pointed this out to Slade would probably regret it instantly.

Slowly, Slade picked up a book from off the desk and made his way to the bed. With painstaking carefulness, Slade positioned himself onto the bed with the child still inside his arms. He arranged the boy, so that he was lying next to him. However, Slade found that he couldn’t remove Dick’s arms from around his neck – they just refused to let go.

Therefore, Slade was forced to keep the boy halfway draped over his chest, his arms still tightly around his neck. Slade threw the covers over the boy’s body and wrapped his left arm around his upper back. With his free hand, he started reading the book he had taken. It wasn’t his first choice, but it would keep his attention for the time being.

In the quiet moments of hearing the child’s slow, deep breathing and within that gentle, snuggling embrace, Slade found a special peace that he hadn’t quite felt before.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 21st, 2009. Wednesday, 1:04 pm.**

Dick knew it was coming. Yesterday, Slade had told him that he would wait no longer for him to talk about the nightmare. It was time to come fully clean. Only then would Dick completely feel better about the whole lying mess that he had created. Dick had to admit, the man was probably right. He still did feel somewhat guilty about the whole matter. If relating the rest of the nightmare would relieve that, it was almost worth it.

But Dick was still scared.

Thus, that was why he was exceptionally fidgety during lunch. Luckily, though, neither man mentioned it and Dick was grateful for their patience. All the while, he wasn’t even sure why he was so afraid of this. The fear itself almost seemed silly sometimes. He just was so nervous. Talking about the last part of his nightmare just seemed so _hard_. Heck, he’d even take another walloping at this point – that was how much he _really_ didn’t want to talk about his doppelganger.

Unfortunately, he really didn’t have a choice in the matter.

“Come,” said Slade, after lunch was over; beckoning him softly as he stood from the table. “It’s time.”

Dick let out the breath he was holding. He bit his lower lip as he nodded. He knew this was part of the agreement – that he had to tell the final section of his nightmare; that the section he had held back and that he had lied about and in the end causing all these problems for himself. He knew it, but it still didn’t make it any easier. Looking back on his choices, he knew that he would think twice and thrice before even opening his mouth to speak a lie.

He would remember this. He would remember every detail of it. He would remember the pain his heart went through. He would remember the initial punishment and how he felt in the moment. He would remember every tear that fell from his eyes and every swat that had landed on his seat. But most of all, he would remember the anguish that had filled his father’s voice; he would remember the betrayal that had bled in the man’s tone; and he would remember every pleading, sharp word that had been spoken with stern love and soft love.

_How could he forget?_

He would remember it all should his tongue wished to speak a lie. Then, in that potential moment, he would clamp down on that lie and never let it see the light of day. He never wanted to go through all that again. He never wanted to go through the guilt, the shame of his actions, the pain his own body tore through his soul, and then, finally, the sting of both his father’s censuring words and his reproving hand. He never wanted to break Slade’s trust like that _ever_ again and he _never_ wanted to make the man feel that way again.

He never wanted to hear those words again, _“How can I trust you now?”_

He would make many future mistakes, Dick had no doubt; probably even ones that would send him over the man’s knees again – though, he sincerely hoped he would avoid that. He was still young. He still had much to learn.

 _But_ he would _never_ lie to Slade again. That much he knew; that much he wouldn’t allow to happen. He would not lie again. He would prove to Slade that he had learned this lesson. He would prove to Slade that he was a good father and that Dick truly did appreciate all that he did – _and_ Dick would prove to _himself_ that he had learned something from this experience and that he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

He didn’t want to disappoint this man again. He didn’t want to be an everyday, rebellious teenager that gave his or her parents grief. He wanted to make Slade proud of him; wanted the man to be proud to have a son like Dick. He would prove that he deserved such pride.

And that began with coming fully clean about the nightmare, no matter how much Dick still worried about the reaction. With one final intake of breath, he slowly stood up and followed after Slade. The man stopped at the entrance to the basement and opened the door. Dick was surprised by this, but he followed the man down the stairs without a word. He wasn’t sure where else they would talk about this, anyway.

Within a few moments, they had crossed the expanse of the basement and had entered the family room. Dick really enjoyed this room with its warm colors. He found that this room was rarely used, however. It was easier to stay on the first floor. The kitchen was warm enough to for a family meal. The library was a nice change of scenery. The bedrooms were cozy enough to Dick’s liking. With a lot of his time spent at the Tower, he rarely had time to be down here any more.

Dick felt a large hand slip into his own, nearly engulfing it in size and warmth. He looked up at Slade curiously, but the man wasn’t looking at him. He tightened his grip around that hand, enjoying the warmth that it brought. It was more than enough to truly feel his father’s support there.

A moment later, he was pulled to the couch and Slade sat down, bringing Dick down to sit next to him. The hand that was still clutching Dick’s with gentle firmness lifted to rest in Slade’s lap; his other hand overlapping the pair. Dick looked down at their hands, his chest filling with a tender glow as he enjoyed feeling his hand encased within his father’s hold.

“I realize…” began Slade, after a moment of silence, “that this nightmare is hard for you and for you to hold back a portion can only mean that it’s far worse than I could even imagine.”

Dick swallowed once and nodded slightly, still staring at their hands. One squeezed his own softly.

“That doesn’t mean I condone you lying to me,” continued Slade, his tone turning somewhat stern, but there was still that softness there. “That was unacceptable and I cannot allow it to happen again—”

“I won’t ever lie to you again, sir,” said Dick, his strong resolution filling his voice as he looked at Slade seriously. “I promise. Even if my words seem meaningless to you now – because I know I broke your trust – I will restore it. I _swear_ it, Dad. I won’t lie again and if by some crazy, stupid chance that I don’t keep this promise, I know you’ll set me straight – and I’ll deserve it.”

There was a soft, approving smile that tugged at Slade’s mouth as he looked down at Dick. His grey blue eye gleamed with deep strength, a glimmer of pride there. Dick’s hand was squeezed once again, with a loving gentleness.

“I believe you, son,” said Slade in a low whisper and Dick found his heart glowing. “You have matured already from this experience. I can see it in your eyes. I’m proud of you and I know that you’ll make better choices in the future.”

“Wait, but how can you be proud of me?” asked Dick, feeling confused by that. He had messed up so bad. He had caused Slade such great pain and had broken his trust. How could the man feel _proud?_ “I really messed up. I lied to you— _I broke your trust!_ ”

“I am proud of you because of how you have tried to fix that mistake,” said Slade, giving him a small smile. “You really went above and beyond what had been expected of you. You never once complained about doing chores, or being about being grounded, or about the essay. Granted, you were hesitant to accept your well deserved spanking, but that’s to be expected.”

Dick was proud of himself at that moment. He hadn’t winced at hearing the accursed term.

“But you’ve been truly a son to be proud of and I am pleased to claim that you are mine. I can see that you’re repentant. I can see that you won’t do it again. You are truly a good son. You have gone above my already high expectations for you.”

Dick felt a lump build up inside his throat. He swallowed once, trying to hold back the emotions that simple statement had brought with it. Even though he had totally screwed up completely, his father was still _proud_ of him.

A hand withdrew from the pile and curled around Dick’s shoulders. He was pulled against Slade’s side and he gladly leaned into the half hug. He felt Slade come closer to him, and a moment later, there was a tender pressure at the top of his head that was the unmistakable expression of a kind kiss being placed upon an unruly garden of raven black hair.

“I know this will be hard for you,” whispered Slade, his voice above Dick. “But you are safe here with me and I will protect you. I will always do _anything_ to protect you.”

With a smile, Dick slipped his arms around Slade’s waist and hugged him, burying his face against the man’s shoulder. He nodded as he felt Slade’s arms respond in kind. There was a long moment where Slade merely held him tightly. Then, the man withdrew and carded a hand through Dick’s hair.

“All right, time for you to talk,” said Slade, patting Dick’s knee with his free hand. “Slide your legs onto the couch.”

“Huh?”

“Go on.”

As Dick obeyed, even though he was puzzled by the request, he felt Slade turn slightly, bringing his legs to fully rest on top of the sofa’s surface; encasing Dick against the back of the couch completely. He felt like a gerbil as he was trapped there.

“Grab me that pillow,” said Slade, pointing to the other end of the couch. When Dick did so, the man sat up and shoved the pillow behind his back, smashing it there with vigor, before resting against it and the arm of the sofa with a long sigh. “There we go, much better.”

Dick didn’t have a chance to question what the man was doing, before a pair of strong arms wrapped around his chest and pulled him against Slade. Automatically, Dick extended his legs against the length of the couch as he laid against the man’s torso; those arms drawing around him in strength and warmth. He leaned his head back, feeling the man’s chest rise and fall beneath there. When Slade spoke, the voice rumbled against the back of his head there, almost lulling Dick to close his eyes and fall asleep.

“I thought you would prefer something like this while you talked about what is worrying you,” whispered Slade. After a pause, he continued in a teasing drawl, “You are the snuggling type, are you not?”

There was a soft giggle as Dick nodded, trying to hold back the emotions that were rising yet again. He appreciated the length that Slade was going for him. It was thoroughly overwhelming, the gratitude that Dick felt for this action. Slade understood _exactly_ what he needed to get through this.

Dick let out the pent up sigh, exhaling slowly. He took a moment to nestle against Slade, enjoying being encased within an embrace. The man’s arms were over his chest, his large hands resting there. Dick curled his own arms around the larger ones. He took one of Slade’s hands into his own hands and allowed himself to fidget with it. Slade didn’t seem to mind that Dick was gently playing with his hand, feeling the taunt skin and its warmth there, and Dick was thankful for this. He could hold his father’s hand, letting it anchor him, while he related his darkest secret.

He could do it now. There was something very comforting lying against your father as his arms surrounded you – and that was what Dick was experiencing at that very moment. There was warmth in the embrace. There was warmth and life in that large hand. And it was a hand that would continue to love, guide, and protect Dick.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly once more.

Slowly, the words fell from Dick’s lips. He spoke quietly and hoped that Slade could hear him speaking. The man never requested a higher volume, so Dick could only assume that it was all right. He started from the beginning, talking about the entire nightmare as a whole, knowing that Slade would appreciate this. He told the man _every_ detail, not leaving a single thing out. He spoke of the colors, the sounds, and even the smell of the nightmare.

He spoke of every death.

All the while, there was a steady stream of tears that slipped down Dick’s cheeks. He tried to hold them back, but reliving the nightmare once again was just that hard for him. His body was weakened from the constant lack of sleep; and thus, his defenses were that much the more torn down.

Then, once he came to the designated part, that section of the nightmare that included his doppelganger, he almost couldn’t continue. But Slade was patient with him. While Dick choked on silent sobs, the man gently stroked his forehead; his large fingers running soothing warm tracks against his skin. It took quite a few minutes before Dick could regain himself.

Then, the words flowed from his mouth once more.

Every detail was described. Every word that had ever been uttered by the horrible creature was retold. Every touch that tainted Dick’s skin was related. _Everything_ that haunted Dick, he told his father. The tears continued to stream down his cheeks, but the heavy burden that had been dragging his heart lifted with each word. He found that he could speak with greater strength with each passing sentence. The guilt of lying completely vanished away.

It was all lifted away.

The problem was still there, but somehow, the major pain and burden had disappeared. If only he had known this was going to happen, he’d have spoken up sooner. Might’ve saved himself some heartache and definitely a sore backside last Friday.

Funny how some things in life were like that.

Once Dick finished, silence rang between them. Dick was so worried that Slade would truly think he was losing it. In so many ways, Dick thought he was going crazy. It _had_ to be crazy, having this same dream over and over again. There must be something wrong with Dick – that had to be it. Finally, after quite a few, long moments between them, Dick voiced his concern.

“I’m going crazy, aren’t I?” whispered Dick, closing his eyes. There was an exhale of breath.

“Oh, Dick, you’re not going crazy,” said Slade, his tone chidingly soft. “Was that your fear all this time? Good grief, you silly child.”

Dick rubbed the tears away from his eyes. Then, he twisted, turning around completely, so that his stomach rested against Slade’s chest; curling an arm to rest his chin. He could feel the man’s heartbeat, even through his shirt. Slade’s arm moved to wrapped around his shoulder, his hand patting him lightly on the back. Dick looked up at Slade, the worry inside his heart threatening to burst forth.

“How do you know that?” asked Dick, swallowing once. “How do you know I’m not losing my sanity?”

There was an amused smirk tugging at the man’s lip as they thinned slightly. There was a firmer pat on the back.

“Because, you are my son and no son of mine will ever go insane while I’m around,” said Slade, his grey blue eye twinkling with mirth. Even with that assurance, Dick didn’t feel much better. He bit his lower lip as he continued to look inside the man’s eye. He wanted to believe him, but Slade didn’t really understand. This dream wasn’t just a nightmare, it was revealing all the dark fears that lurked inside Dick’s heart.

After hearing those cruel things, after knowing what truly resided inside himself, who wouldn’t believe they weren’t going insane?

“Although, I must admit, no wonder you were so tightlipped about the whole matter,” said Slade, shaking his head. “I can understand your reluctance. That is one disturbing dream. However, I want you to know that _no matter what_ , you can always come to me. I will always be there for you.”

Dick smiled at that, but after a moment, he sobered once more.

“If I’m not going crazy, then what’s going on? Why do I have to have this dream every night? Why can’t I have any peace?”

Slade looked pained by those questions.

“I don’t know, Dick. I don’t think these are normal nightmares at all. But what they are, I just don’t know.”

That much Dick could see. It was true. They simply _couldn’t_ be normal nightmares. But if they weren’t that, then _what_ were they? The very thought that they could be visions of the future sent a number of chills down Dick’s back. He quickly shoved those thoughts back down. That just couldn’t be it. The nightmares could not be visions, there was just no way that was possible. Dick was the only one of the Teen Titans that didn’t have powers.

And at this point, he rather keep it that way.

“All right, imp,” said Slade, after a few minutes had passed in quiet; giving Dick a playful pat. “That’s enough cuddle time. You still have some more work that needs to be done and it’s not going to do you any good to wonder and fret about these nightmares. We’ll figure something out, but for now you need to complete your penalty. In the end, I’m sure you understand how all this could’ve been avoided if you had merely been truthful and forthcoming with me, yes?”

Dick nodded meekly. Slade gave him a firm approving nod back.

“Then, we will speak no more on it. You’re forgiven, the world hasn’t ended, and all is well.”

Dick smiled gently at the decisiveness that Slade was displaying. It was a comfort to his heart. However, the thought of leaving the snuggling embrace so soon was just not something Dick was ready to do. He gave the man a light pout, snuggling deeper against the man.

“Couldn’t we stay here… just for a little while longer?”

There was a long moment as Slade eyed him. Then, finally, the man let out a sigh and nodded, drawing his arm tighter around his shoulders.

“Five minutes and no more, understand?”

Dick smiled as he rested his head against Slade’s chest, his head lifting somewhat with the man’s breathing. He was truly thankful for this moment to just _be_. He hadn’t imagined that Slade would let him snuggle for longer. But it seemed like Slade didn’t mind at all.

It was interesting.

Why?

Because, though the man had said only five more minutes, somehow Dick found that they didn’t move for another hour, at least.

How interesting, indeed.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 23rd, 2009. Saturday, 7:39 am.**

“Dick, for the last time, _slow down_ ,” said Slade, the exasperation inside his voice reaching its peak. Dick didn’t really obey perfectly, still shoveling food ever faster into his mouth. He was far too excited to slow down, anyway.

“But I wanna get there on time!”

There was more shoveling.

“On time for _what?_ No doubt the lot of them are still dead asleep. It’s a Saturday— _blast it_ , Dick, don’t choke!”

“Good grief, child, you’re going to make yourself sick.”

Dick giggled at the two doting men in his life. Slade shook his head, appearing thoroughly exasperated with him; but there was a hint of amusement in his expression. Wintergreen looked concerned, but he also was amused by Dick’s antics. With the final shovel of food – a large spoonful of scrambled eggs – Dick jugged down his orange juice and bolted to his feet a second later.

“Bye! Thank you for the breakfast, Will. Awesome as always.”

“How would you know? You _inhaled_ it,” said Wintergreen, chuckling. Dick only grinned cheekily. He quickly came to the old man’s side and gave him a warm hug, wrapping his arms around his neck and settling his head there. There was more chuckling and a kind pat on the back. “All right, child, off you go before you explode all over my kitchen.”

Dick giggled. On an impulse, he turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on the old man’s cheek, before pulling back and giving him a bright smile.

“Love you, Will,” said Dick, his smile almost glowing. The reaction he received was one he hadn’t been expecting. He had never seen strong emotion enter Wintergreen’s expression before. But at that moment, the old man completely choked up. Gentle, wrinkled hands reached out and encased Dick’s face, a tender squeeze almost squishing his flesh. Aged hazel green eyes glistened brightly as Wintergreen swallowed once.

“ _Love you, too, Richard_ ,” whispered Wintergreen, his voice choked with emotion. His hands withdrew and Dick continued to smile.

He realized at that moment that this had been the first time he had said that to Will. He had told Slade that he loved him multiple times, but somehow Wintergreen hadn’t been given the same appreciation. But Dick viewed the old man as an important person in his life, just like Slade. Wintergreen was loved as a grandfather. He resolved to tell the old man this more often from that point.

Because, while love wasn’t always expressed through words, saying those words were just as important. The words without actions were void. Just as actions without words were void. Dick needed to hear it just as much as he needed to see it. He didn’t want to be the only one receiving, however. He wanted to give as well – and give he would do so.

There was a light huff.

“What, only the old man gets some love around h— _oomph!_ ”

With mischievous giggle, Dick gave Slade a bolting bear hug, nearly bowling the two of them over to crash to the floor. After Slade regained himself – having to grip the edge of the table for support – there was a deep chuckle that sent warm tremors through Dick as he felt its effect. Strong arms responded to the hug.

“ _You forgive me?_ ” whispered Dick, participating in his final daily need to be reassured.

“Always, you silly child.”

“You’re not mad any more?”

“No, I am not.”

“ _You still love me?_ ”

There was a pause.

“ _Until the day I die and even beyond that_.”

“You’re immortal.”

“ _Exactly_.”

Dick’s heart calmed. It was the end of his grounding. He had paid the penalty for his mistakes. He’d completed all his chores. He had finished that long essay. Now everything was going to be all right. He’d been forgiven, his father wasn’t angry, and he was still loved. He needed that reassurance to move on. He couldn’t forgive himself otherwise.

Dick turned his head and gave his father a kiss on the cheek, squeezing his arms tightly around the man’s neck in one more outward expression of love.

“I love you, too, Dad.”

There was a pat on his back, before Dick pulled away. Slade looked touched by the loving display Dick was showing him. There was jerk of the head as Slade gave him a smirk.

“Best get going, imp, before the Teen Titans think their leader has officially met his demise by a one week grounding.”

Dick let out a happy giggle. He couldn’t restrain himself – he threw his arms around the man once more in a second round of a hug and kiss, before bolting towards the kitchen door. He glanced back at the two men. Slade looked slightly shocked by the second round of affection. Wintergreen looked thoroughly touched also.

“We have quite the loving child in our presence, do we not, Slade?” said Wintergreen, taking a sip from his juice; his hazel green eyes still ever glistening. Slade blinked, still staring at Dick as he hadn’t seen him before. Then, a gentle expression flowed over his features. He only gave a nod, before turning his gaze away.

“See you guys later!” chirped Dick happily, waving at them.

_A loving child, indeed._

ooOOOOOoo

 


	15. Tearful and Awkward Reunion

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Tearful and Awkward Reunion**

 

**May 23rd, 2009. Saturday, 8:12 am.**

Dick was filled with intense excitement as he ran up the pathway that was outside of the Tower. He was so happy to be back here. While he enjoyed some of the time he had with his father, much of it had been spent doing the endless amount of chores that had been assigned to him. He was glad it was over now. Anytime he thought about what had happened, he honestly felt like an idiot about it all.

 _Really_ , what had he been thinking, lying like that about something so _stupid?_ He felt like a complete and total idiot for sure. Normally he had _some_ brain capacity, right? What was wrong with him to actually think about lying to Slade about something so silly and trivial? What had he been hiding, anyway? There was nothing to be afraid of – how irrational he had been. In the end, hiding the nightmare had been so foolish. His fears had been unfounded completely.

So strange, to be honest.

He really must not have been thinking properly – well, that much was obvious in the very least.

As Dick reached the main door of the Tower, he placed his hand on the security pad; the system slowly reading his handprint. He bounced his leg nervously, trying to hold back the excitement that was threatening to burst through his soul. He never realized just how long a week away from his friends had been – even after experiencing a time period of seven months away from them.

Just as the door slid open and Dick took a single step inside, barely even crossing the threshold, an oppressive air flooded over his senses. He staggered backwards, his back bumping roughly against the open door. He quickly put a hand over his mouth, his other hand clutching the fabric of his shirt.

_Something was terribly wrong._

Dick would never have thought he could feel something like this – no, it wasn’t something like smelling the leftover odor of a game of stankball. It was a feeling, an _oppressive_ one. The only word Dick could bring about to describe the exact feeling was _dark_. There was darkness in the Tower. There was some presence there that was _evil_ and had bad intentions for the occupants of the Tower.

How could he be feeling this? This was something that Raven could do, something that seemed to be in her area of expertise. How could Dick know and feel of this presence? Was it just making itself known? But whatever it was, there was no doubt about one thing: _it had no good inside it._

Fear instantly gripped Dick’s heart. He bolted forward, rushing through the main hallway of the Tower; a blur of burgundy arm chairs filling the side of his sight. He ran up the short stairs two by two and nearly smashed into the closed doors of the elevator. He pushed the button impatiently, praying that everything was all right with his friends. He could still feel the air bearing down all around him. He wasn’t sure what was going on or where this presence was coming from, but it was sure unnerving.

And somehow… it felt so familiar.

Dick tapped his foot, his arms folded, as he watched the elevator dial rising once he got inside. He restrained himself from pacing the floor. As the elevator rose in altitude, he slowly felt the oppression lessen. He wasn’t sure what that meant. Did that mean the presence was on the lower levels? Or was he simply getting used to it?

_Please let them be okay._

Finally, he reached the floor of the main room. He rushed out of the elevator and ran down the hallway as fast as he could. A second later, he burst through the sliding doors of the main room, barely giving it a moment to open all the way.

“Is everyone okay? What’s the trouble?”

“ _Dick!_ ”

The owner of that name didn’t have time to prepare himself for the ‘attack’. He was instantly bowled over by a powerful force. He landed hard on his back, with soft arms surrounding his neck and a curtain of red hair obstructing his view. When he realized exactly _who_ was hugging him on the floor, he about died of heat stroke. The weight of Starfire on him couldn’t really be identified since most of Dick’s breathing was being constricted in one form or another.

“ _Star_ ,” croaked Dick, gasping once as he _swore_ he felt bones cracking. “ _Can’t breathe…_ ”

“Oh!”

Arms withdrew themselves and the weight lifted. Dick gasped once, coughing as air rushed back into his lungs. Red hair still fluttered against his face. Dick looked up to the floating form of Starfire, who was looking worriedly down at him.

“I have not harmed you, have I, Dick?” asked Starfire, her eyes glimmering with fear. Dick cracked a smile, his face raging with heat at being so close to her.

“I’m a`right,” said Dick, his voice hoarse. Starfire gave him a beaming smile and pulled him upright to stand. This time, she gave him a softer, more gentler hug; her arms wrapping around him tenderly. Dick responded to the hug, his arms tightly squeezing her. He found himself breathing her in, a peace wafting over him as he inhaled slowly.

_He definitely missed her._

“Hey, Star,” whispered Dick. “I missed you.”

After a moment, Starfire pulled back; still floating in the air about a foot above the floor. Dick’s eyes widened as her face turned to pleading, endless worry. Words tumbled out of her mouth and it took quite a bit on Dick’s part to actually get what she was saying. But then, he finally figured out what was causing her distress.

“Oh, Dick, I am so sorry. I have gotten you in trouble with Slade. I did not mean to – please forgive me! Are you well enough? Was Slade very angry? I truly did not—”

“ _Starfire!_ ” cried Dick, putting up his hands. “It’s okay, calm down!”

There was a soft sigh as Starfire’s feet touched the ground, an arm wrapping around her waist in her worry. She still had that concerned expression on her face, but Dick tried to reassure her.

“Look, everything is okay. Nothing was your fault, all right?” said Dick. He waited for a response from her, which he got in the form of a small nod. He continued, turning his head to the side slightly as he blushed, “Really, it was my fault. I was the one who did something wrong. Dad was right to be mad at me. Everything is okay now, though. He’s not mad any more.”

Starfire’s expression softened. She placed a hand onto his arm. A blush rose even further in Dick’s face, sliding all the way to his ears – they had to be on fire, he was sure of it.

“Welcome home,” whispered Starfire, smiling at him. It took everything Dick had to return it without falling over. Being a teenager was hard, there was no doubt in his mind. It just was downright _hard_.

He let himself be pulled by the hand into the main room of the Tower. A moment later, he was greeted by the two boys. Excited chatter filled his ears as they welcomed him. Through the noise, Dick waved at Raven, who nodded in return and went back to her book. Then, out of the corner of Dick’s eyes, he saw her shiver once.

“Hi, Terra,” said Dick, calling to the girl, who was sitting on the couch. She gave him some acknowledgement, but it wasn’t warm in the slightest; confusing Dick. He frowned slightly, wondering what was wrong now. But, then again, he’d been gone for an entire week. Who knew what could happen in that time? How many fights had broken out since that time, Dick wasn’t sure. But it did seem that his job was never done.

Then, that dark feeling came over Dick once again and he quickly looked around, almost alarmed by its oppressive nature.

But as he watched his joyful friends chatter at him, it was obvious that he was the only one noticing it. Not even Raven was noticing if something was off. She just was reading her book, never stopping. Was it his imagination, then? Surely he couldn’t be imagining this dark feeling. This felt so real. But he wasn’t an empath. He wasn’t like Raven or even like Starfire, for the alien girl could feel when things weren’t right.

Was it just a remnant of his nightmares?

Was it really just his imagination?

That had to be it. It was only the feeling he felt when he awoke from his nightmares. Nothing had changed. He still got them every night. He still wasn’t getting enough sleep. He was still reliving those horrible deaths and hearing that terrible voice. The only comfort Dick had gained was in the form of Slade, who did everything to support him when the nightmare woke him in the middle of the night.

Even so much as sacrificing his own sleep and own bed to comfort Dick. Even when everything seemed to be falling apart around Dick, there was that strength that lifted him up. If it weren’t for his father, if it weren’t for Slade, Dick wasn’t sure what he’d do in this situation.

Thus, what he was feeling had to be nothing. He was imagining it. Even now, it was already fading slowly.

Surely, it meant _nothing_.

The strangest thing of it all was that Terra obviously was showing him a cool shoulder. It wasn’t quite a cold shoulder, but it was definitely an indifferent, cool one – much lower than Raven’s nod to him, in fact. She was sitting far away from the group, as if estranged from them all.

 _Geez,_ what had happened in the one week he’d been gone?

“So, you survived the warden, then – huh, Rob?” said Cyborg with a teasing grin. Dick laughed, blushing furiously while he nodded to this. It was obvious that Cyborg was trying at that moment. There was a deep worry inside his human eye. A moment later, Cyborg ruffled his hair. “You sure you’re all right?” came the more serious question.

“I’m fine, Cy, really,” said Dick, smiling through the ruffles. There was an undignified squeak and Dick was _very_ proud to say that it didn’t come from him. He glanced over towards the source to see Beast Boy staring at him with vivid eyes.

Dick wanted to laugh and blush at the same time. Beast Boy was actually making a visible effort in keeping his mouth shut – it was far too obvious that he was bursting at the seams to bombard Dick with some _personal_ questions. Unfortunately, the effect also made the boy look like he had to ‘go’ – as in, _‘go to the bathroom’_ go.

“Geez, BB, you better not ruin the carpet,” said Cyborg, shaking his head and chuckling at him.

There wasn’t a green shade in Beast Boy’s face as he blushed scarlet. However, he got a very determined look on his face. Whoever said that this kid didn’t have the drive to get things done obviously didn’t know the boy well.

“You’re right,” said Beast Boy with a decided nod. “And Robin will show me the way.”

And with that, Dick found himself grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the main room, leaving the other Titans thoroughly confused by this strange behavior from Beast Boy. As the main doors slid shut behind him, Dick sighed to himself. He let the younger boy pull him further down the hall. Finally, Beast Boy stopped abruptly and turned around; setting his most serious look onto Dick.

“Well?”

Dick squirmed slightly, trying to avoid the question. His eyes glanced to the side as he rubbed the spot Beast Boy had held moments ago.

“Uh… Well, what?”

“Don’t do that!” cried Beast Boy indignantly, nearly bouncing up and down. “You know _what_ – what _happened?_ ”

Dick felt his cheeks go increasingly warm. He looked down at the floor and shrugged, his voice locked away. It was embarrassing, for crying out loud! At least, Beast Boy had the courtesy to pull him away from the others, but even still – it was still embarrassing to talk about it at all! It was hard enough having to endure the whole thing without having to relate it once again.

“No, you’re not doing that to me,” protested Beast Boy, folding his arms and giving Dick a pretty good glare in the sternness department. “Slade was royally peeved about something. What’d you do to make him so mad?”

Dick sighed, swallowing once and seeing that this conversation wasn’t going to end without telling the changeling everything. He leaned against the wall, resting all his weight there.

“I lied,” whispered Dick. “I lied to him.”

Beast Boy’s eyes got really big at this. Dick curled his arms around his chest, slowly sliding downward to sit on the floor; drawing his legs to his torso. Beast Boy crouched in front of him with a reverent expression. The other boy didn’t say anything for a moment as he watched Dick. However, the quiet didn’t last long as Beast Boy spoke his question.

“What… What’d you lie about?” asked Beast Boy softly, seeing the distress that was coming over Dick. There was a soft sigh and Dick hated the answer.

“My nightmares,” said Dick in that same quiet whisper. “He told me to tell him everything, especially things about my health. But I didn’t and I lied about it. I lied again to cover it up – one lie always leads to another, after all, and I’m… I’m actually glad I was caught before I buried myself further.”

There was silence for a few moments as those words hung in the air. Inside Dick’s mind, he was remembering all that had happened. Even though he’d been forgiven, he still felt a twinge of pain and guilt prick his chest at the thought of what he had done. He knew that it was over and done with – Slade said so, after all – but he still couldn’t help but feel bad about it.

But his words were true. He was thankful that Slade had found out. No matter how much he had been nervous and scared by the fallout of such an action, it had been a relief when Slade had found out – like he wouldn’t have to hide any more. It took so much energy worrying about it all. He was thankful that Slade had taken care of everything – it was strange to think that, but there was no denying the relief and the lifting burden that had occurred through the week of being punished.

Dick was truly thankful to have a father again.

Finally, Beast Boy broke the silence, biting his lower lip briefly as he continued to watch Dick. He squirmed nervously, before his inevitable question came.

“Did he… Did he… well, _you know._ Did he?”

Dick blushed harder, dropping his face into his knees. A moment later, he nodded inside them and lifted his face. “Yeah, he did. He was furious. I deserved it, too. I broke my promise and his trust.”

_I never want to do that again. I never want to break his trust._

_I never want to hear those words again._

_And I never want to hear that injured tone again._

_Ever again…_

Beast Boy looked uncomfortable for a moment, as if he were wrestling with something, before he asked quietly, “Did you cry?”

“Of course, I cried,” whispered Dick, wishing that Beast Boy would stop pressing for the sensitive details. He wasn’t sure if he could handle the heat in his face any longer. “You’d cry too if you heard the lecture he gave me. Still… I suppose that makes me a wimp over it. Robin, the Boy Wonder, can’t take a little walloping.”

Dick wrapped his arms around his legs and tightened them to press against his chest. Beast Boy plopped back onto his seat, crossing his legs in the process. He folded his arms and attained that unnatural serious look on his face again.

“I dunno… I think it’s impossible not to cry during a smacking.”

_Why were they still talking about this?!_

_Ah, well._

Better it was Beast Boy than anyone of the others, really. The younger boy seemed to relate better with this subject.

“But I’ve been stoic before,” protested Dick.

“Well, did he lecture you _during_ it? I mean, that’s always what got me. With the right words, anybody could go down into tears. I don’t know how parents do it! It’s like, with that hand whapping down on your butt and then those scolding words, what kid doesn’t cry?”

Dick cracked a small smile at that. Beast Boy sighed and looked away. There was a dark, saddened light that entered his eyes. His voice came out softly, his voice whispering.

“I’m just glad I’m not the only one who cries. Mento always told me I shouldn’t cry, but I always did. Couldn’t help it, really.”

Dick’s mood darkened from those words.

“Someone needs to punch Mento in the nose,” snapped Dick. Something inside Dick told him he’d be the one to do it, too – only if he ever met the man. But, of course, when was that going to happen? “You can’t wallop a kid and not expect some tears. Dad never scolded me for them. He—” Dick blushed deeply at what he was revealing – but in for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying went. “—he held me afterward. He really… He was really soft afterward.”

Beast Boy smiled at him.

“I guess Slade really is a good Dad. You’re really lucky, Dick – _really lucky_.”

“I know,” whispered Dick, smiling back and noticing that his friend had used his real name again. It brought warmth to Dick’s heart when he heard his real name from his friends. It was like they acknowledged him for who he truly was and not for that remnant of a boy that they had lost. Only Cyborg and Raven hadn’t called him by his real name yet.

Somehow, Dick hoped that they one day would come to that point.

“Yo, BB, I thought you had to go to the bathroom,” said Cyborg, poking his head out of the main room and coming down the hallway. Beast Boy’s ears perked up. As he sat there on the floor, he contemplated this statement seriously; wiggling once.

“Oh, yeah. I think I’d better do that.”

Dick chuckled as Beast Boy jumped to his feet and scampered off to the nearest bathroom. Cyborg walked up to Dick, who didn’t move from his spot on the floor. It felt strange being back in the Tower, actually, after this past week. Dick had been trying to connect his two worlds together – the one at the Tower and the one with Slade.

But the week without his friends had reminded him just how sometimes they truly felt separated.

“Are you all right?” asked Cyborg, coming to sit next to Dick on the floor. Dick smiled at the question, figuring that his ‘cross examination’ wasn’t over just yet. Of course, he wasn’t about to give up information without being prodded.

“Yeah, I’m all right. Why?”

“Well, all things considering…” Cyborg trailed off; then, noticing the expression on Dick’s face, gave Dick an incredulous look and nudged his shoulder. “Oh, come on, Rob. Slade looked so mad, I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel and melt the Tower in its explosion. Are you really all right? He didn’t… hurt you, right?”

Dick’s expression softened as he saw the look in the older teen’s human eye. There was genuine worry in that dark orb. There wasn’t any hostility, merely simple and true worry for his friend. Dick cracked a wry grin, but his features remained soft.

“Uh, besides the intense walloping for my idiocy? Nope, he didn’t hurt me.”

A dark light entered Cyborg’s eye, even his red, metallic eye going a few shades darker. He let out a low sigh and asked, “And you’re all right with that?”

“He’s my Dad,” said Dick with a shrug. “I don’t really have a say on how he disciplines me. I deserved it, though. Don’t get me wrong. I lied to him. I lied to my father.”

Dick’s arms tightened around his legs. He hated saying that out loud. He didn’t like admitting that he had lied to anyone. He hated saying that he had done something wrong. But the gentle words that Slade had left were pulling away the guilt. Slade had forgiven and forgotten. That meant Dick had to do the same. Why was it so hard to forgive himself?

“He’s not your father, Rob,” said Cyborg in a quiet voice. “He only adopted you – that doesn’t make him your father, you know. It’s just a piece of paper.”

Dick let out a long, tired sigh. “He gave up everything for me, Cy. I know you’re having a hard time accepting him, but—”

“I’m just worried he’s gonna hurt you,” said Cyborg, softly overriding him. “You’ve grown so attached to him – don’t give me that look, it’s as plain as day. What if he betrays you? Could you handle it?”

_‘What if he betrays you?’_

At the very thought of that, a shudder ran through Dick’s back. But even as the words sunk into his mind – the darkness which lived there trying its everything to latch onto it and feed him lies – he just knew that Slade would never do that. Slade was a man of his word, that much Dick _knew_ with everything of his soul. Even when they hadn’t been father and son, Slade had stuck to his word.

The man had promised never to beat him again, and he hadn’t. The man had promised never to be Deathstroke for now, and he hadn’t. The man had promised never to lie to Dick, and he hadn’t – in fact, Dick was the one to break his end of that promise. The man hadn’t resorted to striking him in his anger. Heck, he hadn’t even used a spoon like Wintergreen had threatened when Dick had said something so foolish. The man didn’t do anything more than give Dick a reproving hand, even when something harsher could’ve been used. No, Slade had proven that he was a man who would stick by his word. Dick always felt he wanted to be someone like that. He had failed this time, but he wanted to prove that he could be like his father in that.

_A man of his word._

But there was always a ‘what if’ in life and Dick found that he couldn’t keep himself away from thinking it. What if Slade did betray him? What if the man did turn his back on him? What would Dick do? Would he be able to survive such a time? Would his heart fail him? Or would it harden, never to open back up again?

Would he be angry? Would everything just seem that much harder? Even if the world ended, if Dick had Slade to support him, he was pretty sure he could survive. But if the man wasn’t there, Dick knew something would die inside his heart.

Was something like that even possible?

Well, in the event of a betrayal, it seemed like all options were more than likely.

“Probably not,” admitted Dick in a painfully soft whisper; answering Cyborg’s hard question. “I’ve been without a father for so long, it’s kind of hard to imagine him not in my life now. I don’t think I could handle his betrayal. I know you’re worried about me and I appreciate that. But he’s not hurting me and he’s not going to betray me. Sure, getting walloped definitely isn’t pleasant, but it’s over and done with – and he’s not mad at me any more. I’m glad my lying to Dad didn’t lead to anything serious. He’s right – better to have that stinging backside deter me from making stupid choices in the future.”

Cyborg shook his head. “I don’t understand you. Why would you even want that? Wasn’t having your life your own better than having an adult decide everything for you?”

“No, it wasn’t. Because,” began Dick, his voice tender. “We all need a father. We all need a mother. We all need someone to look out for us. Because, in the end, we’re just a bunch of kids.”

“Yeah, but we’re kids who kick bad guy butt,” said Cyborg with a smirk.

Dick laughed.

“Yeah, but we’re still just _kids_.”

ooOOOOOoo

**May 24th, 2009. Sunday, 9:00 pm.**

The day had started out like any normal day. Except, of course, all the secret planning that had been going on behind the scenes. Today was Raven’s birthday, after all, and Dick was determined to make the girl feel that she was appreciated and loved by her friends. It made Dick happy to see that Beast Boy was really into the planning and he hoped that the young changeling really did care about Raven. It was definitely showing up in his actions, so that said quite a bit.

The strange thing was that every time that Dick tried to speak to Terra, she didn’t engage with him very much. When Dick mentioned this to Cyborg, he was informed that the girl had begun to act like this a few days after Dick left with Slade. Cyborg also didn’t understand what was going on with her. The fighting and bickering between Beast Boy and Raven had ceased, but a new set of contention had risen in its place – between Raven and Terra.

Dick was told that it was like Terra was actually _trying_ to bait the other girl. It was the oddest thing ever. And apparently, Raven did everything she could to maintain her control, but sometimes it escalated into a full blown argument.

A lot had happened in Dick’s absence.

He was also a peacemaker, like Starfire. Except, his peacemaking skills also came with the leadership position. When he spoke, he expected everyone to listen to him – probably a skill he obtained from Slade as well.

Thus, when a small fight had begun to break out yesterday, Dick had quickly put an end to it. Raven had actually looked relieved, while Terra wouldn’t look him in the eyes. It was like she was avoiding him altogether. Dick felt like bashing his head against the wall. Would Titans Tower have no peace? Why couldn’t everyone just _get along?_ What was so hard about it?

Dick was totally going to beg his father to come back to the Tower. The man’s presence seemed to have a good effect on his friends. He was a scary adult, after all. That was probably the reason for it.

But that was neither here nor there. Dick refused to allow silly little contentions ruin this evening. They were going to have a party and it was going to be a party in Raven’s honor. It was her birthday. She deserved a special day, there was no doubt in Dick’s mind. Everything was going to be perfect – well, as perfect as a party planned by a bunch of rambunctious teen boys. During the day, Starfire kept Raven occupied as best as she could – though, Raven tended to gravitate towards being locked up in her room for some reason.

But Starfire didn’t back down.

While she kept their birthday girl out of the main room, Dick, Beast Boy, and Terra decorated. Cyborg was in charge of baking – since Dick somehow couldn’t understand the finer aspects of that art. Beast Boy was so cheerful and excited during the entire time, it was actually hard to reel in the young boy. Terra was the complete opposite.

In fact, Dick had to keep directing the girl to get something done. It was getting annoying, but he held his tongue. There was literally a wall around the girl, like she was pushing everyone away. It was more than Dick had ever seen Raven do – and she was far more inclined to do so. Maybe Slade was right – all these girls had… _girl_ ‘problems’ and needed some time alone.

Dick was suddenly thankful he was a guy and tried to ignore the question as to why his face was red from the boy who was always green.

It was late in the evening when everything was finally finished – there had been a few mishaps with the streamers. Wise men knew to never ask about such things. Dick had to congratulate Cyborg on his choice of piñatas. He knew Raven would like that one, no matter how much Beast Boy protested that his look alike was inhumane.

Starfire had been instructed to bring the girl to the main room at nine o’clock. The rush to get everything ready in time was certainly overwhelming, but the boys seemed to manage, even with Terra’s help – if it was to be called that. When nine o’clock came, the remaining Titans waited in excitement. Dick was crouched next to Beast Boy, who was bouncing and wiggling in pure joy and happiness. Dick chuckled underneath his breath and put a hand on the younger boy’s head, ruffling the green hair that lay there. Beast Boy turned his head and beamed at him.

Soft murmurs of Starfire’s voice could be heard, along with Raven’s far more annoyed one – she _had_ been with the overly cheerful girl all day. Raven probably wanted to scream. As their voices came closer, breaths were held.

“Starfire, would you _please_ be quiet for one minute? I keep telling you I want to be _alone,_ ” said Raven’s irritated voice, its sounds floating through the door.

“But, Raven, there is something I wish to show you.”

“And _then,_ you’ll leave me alone?”

“If that is what you wish.”

“Oh, I wish it, Starfire.”

Just as the main doors opened and the two walked inside, the remaining group inside in the room jumped out and shouted a collected, “ _Surprise!_ ” There was a gasp of fright, along with a squeal of happiness. Starfire jumped up and down, laughing happily, while Raven had a hand over her heart.

“W–what is going on?” asked Raven, her breath catching.

“We wanted to celebrate your birthday!” cried Beast Boy excitedly.

“Who told you it was my birthday?” demanded Raven. The air instantly seemed to deflate as it was obvious that Raven wasn’t pleased at all with the event – well, when one glared like she was currently doing, it wasn’t all that hard to figure out.

“No one told us,” said Dick, stepping forward. “I learned everyone’s birthdays a long time ago and last time it was your birthday, you locked yourself in your room. I didn’t want that to happen this time, so I set Starfire on you.”

At the glare that Dick received, he sheepishly chuckled and gave her an apologetic look.

“Yeah, that was me. Sorry about that. But I still wanted to celebrate this special day of your birth, because we’re all glad you’re our friend.”

“There is nothing good about the day of my birth,” said Raven, her violet eyes darkening. “You are wasting your time.”

“Oh, Raven, surely this cannot be true,” said Starfire, placing a hand onto the girl’s arm. Raven jerked back from the touch, her arms curling around her chest as her cloak shielded her body. There was a haunted look in the girl’s eyes.

“If you knew, then you would agree,” whispered Raven. “Please, I just want this day to be over. There is nothing good about this day. While I truly appreciate what you’re trying to do here, just… please, don’t.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Dick, taking another step forward. Raven visibly flinched and stepped back. Dick stopped his advance, in fear of making her flee. He put his hands up to show her that he would give her space. “Raven, I don’t understand. All we want is to celebrate _you_. That is all this day means to us.”

“Yeah!” piped up Beast Boy, his long ears perking upward. “You might not think it’s important, but we’re sure glad you were born.”

For the first time that Dick had ever known the girl, he could have sworn that her eyes glistened with tears. He didn’t get a chance to confirm this as Raven turned her head away, her short curtain of dark hair blocking her face from view.

“ _Please,_ ” came the soft whisper. “Just leave it be.”

“But—”

“ _No!_ ” snapped Raven, whipping back, her powers flaring outward. Some of the decorations burst above them, confetti raining down as Raven took that distraction to flee the room.

There was the soft sounds of the shredded paper fluttering downward. Dick was shocked, to say the least. He hadn’t thought that Raven would have this bad of a reaction to them giving her a party. He knew she didn’t like too much attention, but he had thought she would loosen up a bit once they all got into the swing of things.

Why was she so against having her birthday celebrated? She acted as if her birth was a _bad_ thing. For someone to think that… it had to mean that she had a low self worth about herself. Had they just not realized how little Raven valued her life? Was that what was going on right now? That Raven felt bad about herself _that_ much to think something so horrible?

Or was it something more?

“What are we going to do?” whispered Cyborg. “We can’t really let this go. She’s our friend.”

“I agree,” said Starfire, nodding sadly as she looked at the closed main doors. “She desperately tried all day to get me to go away, but I never listened to her. Do you think it is my fault?”

“Of course not, Starfire,” said Dick, his voice soft. Beast Boy looked the most disappointed out of the group of them. He was sitting on the floor, his ears drooping sadly.

“How could she not wanna celebrate her birthday?” asked Beast Boy, sounding thoroughly depressed about the whole thing. “It’s the best part.”

Dick smiled softly down at him. He looked over at the main door, hoping that Raven would come back in and say she didn’t mean it, and could they start the party. But, of course, that just wasn’t Raven style, nor her personality. Dick glanced over at the others, the mood still heavy as ever. Then, he frowned and looked over the group more carefully. He turned to Cyborg, an uneasy feeling rising inside his chest. That familiar dark feeling was flowing over him once more.

“Cy, where’s Terra?”

“Huh?” Cyborg looked around the room. The others did as well. “She was here a minute ago.”

Eyes took in the silent décor; the large screen TV, the long, half circular couch, the kitchen area, the celebration treats, all the decorations that covered the room. Dick glanced over the other three teens in the room, his blue eyes connecting with each pair. It was true. There were only four Titans in the room – discounting Raven, who had obviously fled.

One was missing.


	16. Attack on Titan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have a little story to tell. It’s a very sad one, but I need to relate it, so that I can let it go. (No, I’m not singing that song. lol) Generally, I don't like to put too much author's notes in here, but for now, I'll leave it. I'll take it down later. Also, before you panic, I'm not abandoning this story whatsoever. So, no worries there.
> 
> Well, anyway, there was this promotional code for Nanowrimo participants. You could get a hard cover of your novel for free, just $4 shipping. I was very excited. Because, I wanted to get a personal copy of _Forgotten Bonds_. How wonderful would that have been? So, I worked very hard and listened to the entire book, all 44 chapters. (I had combined some chapters) I fixed _countless_ mistakes, did the formatting, and even extended the cover to the back.
> 
> Long story short, I can’t print the personal copy, because it still breaks copyright. Printers can’t/won’t print it.
> 
> I don’t think I’ve ever been as disappointed in my life as when I learned that fact. I must admit, I cried extremely hard. Even thinking about it makes me emotional. I’ll be okay. But it’s still pretty sad. I can’t help but wonder why I can’t print a simple private copy, when there are blatant fanfictions out on the market – I won’t name names, but the fact they are evolved fanfictions isn’t a secret. And they are beyond popular – almost to a frightening degree.
> 
> I’m sure I could change the names in _Forgotten Bonds_ , tweak a few things here and there, and it would be completely original. Heck, much of Slade’s background is altered from canon, along with his children. I’m sure I could pull it off. Of that, I have no doubt.
> 
> But it wouldn’t be _Slade and Dick_. I did something with the two of them that no one else thought of or tried to accomplish. Removing their names and giving them new identities seems like a horrible thing to do; almost making a mockery of the journey they went down and even are still continuing on. Every time I would read it, I would know their true identities. It would be like putting the mask back on for the two of them. I can’t do that. _I can’t do that to them._
> 
> All I can offer at this point is a completed novel. An ePub version is available on GoodReads for your endless reading pleasure.
> 
> At this point, all I can ask is that you, my lovely readers, tell others about it. If you can share it with as many of your friends, that would be ever so wonderful. I can’t do it alone. I’ve posted _Forgotten Bonds_ on Wattpad and on Fanfiction.net. If you love _Forgotten Bonds_ and even its sequel, I would greatly appreciate it if you could vote and continue to vote on the chapters – the more votes, the more people see it.
> 
> That’s all I can ask. I won’t evolve _Forgotten Bonds_ into something its not. I won’t pull it down from its posted areas just so I can create it into an original novel. I just can’t do that to its memory.
> 
> I’m sorry if this is a bit… not sure what to label it. Dramatic? I dunno. It’s emotional for me. Of course, it is. Haha. I just want to say that every remark that I get always keeps me going and reminds me of why I write. So, _thank you_. One thing you can know is that I love this story. And if I love it, then you can know without a shadow of a doubt that within every single word I write, _my heart resides there._
> 
> On with the story

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Attack on Titan**

 

 

**May 24th, 2009. Sunday, 9:23 pm.**

 

_One was missing._

Such a thing shouldn’t have been a problem. They, as teens, didn’t spend every moment with each other – though, they did spend a lot of time in the presence of each other. It was lonely to be alone, after all. But they did have their moments. So, Terra leaving the group shouldn’t have felt strange or odd to them.

But it did to Dick.

There was silence between the group. The others didn’t feel it, but Dick could. Dick never was one to claim that he could feel things. He wasn’t like Raven, nor was he like Starfire. He never got ‘the bad feeling’ ever. His instincts sometimes told him when something wasn’t right, but it never felt like _this_.

That horrible suffocating dark feeling was rising back inside Dick. He couldn’t understand how this feeling related to Terra’s absence. But somehow, Dick just knew something was wrong – something was _terribly_ wrong.

How right he was.

“Guys, do you feel that?” asked Dick quietly, as he curled an arm around his chest to rub against his other arm. For some reason, a chill was lifting in the air around Dick; goosebumps forming on his skin. He was currently wearing his suit – without the armor – instead of normal clothes, but he had forgone the mask. The others looked at him with confusion in their eyes.

“Feel what?” said Cyborg, giving Dick a concerned look.

“You don’t feel it?” whispered Dick, his voice timid; the worry beginning to press at his heart. “There’s something off in the Tower.”

“Like what?” asked Beast Boy.

“Off, Dick? What do you mean?”

“Something not right… Something dark.” Dick’s voice lowered to a soft, frightened whisper. “Something _evil_.”

Just as Dick said those words, his breathing caught in his chest; something clutching his very heart with a clawed hand. Dick doubled over, a small cry of pain escaping his lips; his hands grabbing at his chest where the pain resided. However, his friends didn’t have time to fully comprehend what had happened. At that precise moment, the power went out in the Tower. There was a gasping cry of fear from Starfire and a whimper from Beast Boy. Dim light from the radiant city gently streamed through the window – there was no moon this night.

A red beam of light illuminated the darkened room. A moment later, it was replaced with Cyborg’s flashlight, which was inside his shoulder. Dick felt gentle fingers touch his arm, while Beast Boy was sticking to Cyborg’s side, those green eyes bigger and wider than normal. The younger boy swallowed.

“Dude, what gives?” said Cyborg, his light flashing through the room. “Why’s the power going out? There’s no storm.”

“Cyborg,” gasped Dick, his fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt. Something was most definitely _wrong_. Whatever had been in the Tower before, it was here again. Dick could feel it. Something was attacking the Tower. _Something was attacking the Tower_. Dick spoke, trying to keep his voice from sounding raspy. “Cy, you and BB find Terra. Star and I will go get Raven. After that, we need to group back together. Something’s in the Tower. We’re under attack. Be on your guard at all times!”

“What? We’re under attack—”

“Yes!” snapped Dick. “There’s no time. Hurry and find Terra!”

In the darkness, with only Cyborg’s flashlight to illuminate anything, Dick heard their confirmations. The main room fell into darkness as Cyborg forced the main doors to open; the two boys taking the light with them as they turned to the hallway.

“Dick, are you well,” asked Starfire, the worry in her tone ever so prevalent. “You cried out in pain just as the light went off.”

“I’m fine—”

Dick suddenly lurched forward in the darkness as the pain ravaged his chest again. It truly felt like a claw was tearing his insides apart. Thick, twisting coughs burst from his throat and he grimaced from the intense pain that flared there. It was so powerful that he doubled over completely, falling to his knees as the strength left his legs. There was a startled gasp from Starfire beside him and he felt her trying to support him.

Green light glowed from Starfire’s hands as she tried to chase away the darkness.

As Dick dry heaved for a moment, his throat and chest burning with terrible, sharp pain, a dark laugh began to fill his ears. He glanced up searching the glowing darkness for that voice – _that familiar voice_. Terror was gripping his heart. He wasn’t asleep. He was awake. He was fully aware of his faculties. This wasn’t happening. _This couldn’t be happening!_

 _And yet_ …

He was hearing that same dark laughter from his dreams.

Another cough tore at his chest, his hand covering his mouth. He felt liquid spitting out into his hand and he could taste the familiar flavor of a metallic nature – _he was coughing up blood_. Dick could hear Starfire crying out his name, but he was in no condition to answer her back. Fear pumped through his veins as he heard that terrible voice – that voice that haunted his dreams every night.

_‘It has begun. I told you, little Dickie, you’re going to lose everything you’ve ever known.’_

“Why?” whispered Dick; his voice was hoarse. Another cough, a soft one, sent a wave of pain through his throat. Further blood spat into his hand. He heard Starfire go quiet, her cries stopping.

 _‘Oh? You want to know? I shouldn’t tell you… But you’re so much fun to play with, so I’ll be nice.’_ There was a short pause. _‘It’s because you’re_ — _’_ And the voice dropped to an even darker, silkier tone that sent shivers down Dick’s back. _‘_ — _dangerous.’_

_What? What is that supposed to mean?_

“How d’you mean?”

 _‘It’s because you’re so special. Didn’t you know, Dickieboy? You and your sickly pure heart – only that could’ve affected and changed Slade so much. Slade, of all people.’_ There was an angry snort. _‘Tsk. All three of them…’_

“What does my father have to do with anything? What are you talking about?”

“Dick…?”

 _‘Oh, he has_ everything _to do with this.’_

Another icy chill slid down Dick’s back. At his confusion, that dark voice laughed in his mocking tone. Dick’s ears rang with that horrible, echoing sound.

What did that mean? Why was the voice talking about Slade? What did he have to do with this?

“Dick, please answer me,” said Starfire, the desperation filling her tone now. Dick looked up at her. Images flooded through his mind, every one of them involving a scene from his nightly terrors. Somehow, someway, his nightmare was talking to him during his waking hours. He was going to yell at Slade. Not going insane, was he? If this wasn’t the epitome of insanity, then Dick wasn’t the son of Slade.

Even in his brain, that comparison was a double edged sword.

Glowing green light filled Dick’s eyes as Starfire lifted her hand in the air. Dick could see the intense concern being expressed in her every feature. Then, her eyes widened as she glanced over him.

“Dick, you are bleeding.”

“I’m okay.”

“It is not normal to bring up blood from the inside,” cried Starfire, her free hand clasping Dick’s cheek. Her thumb traced his lips, effectively wiping the blood away. He didn’t have time to consider such an action. The pain still ate at his chest. Any other day and moment, and such an action would’ve sent the most pleasant of shivers down his spine – and also make his blush a fiery red.

No, he had to find Raven. He shouldn’t have sent the boys out of his sight. He shouldn’t have let them split apart. They should’ve stuck together. Anything could happen when they were apart. Someone could target them.

_They all were in danger._

Dick forced himself to stand, ignoring the raging, clawing pain that assaulted his chest. He took a deep breath, expanding his lungs to their fullest and wincing in further pain. He wasn’t going to let whatever was attacking them win. It was obvious that whatever this person was, he had been targeting them for quite some time. This person, or even creature, had designed to attack them over a month ago.

And he had started with Dick, for it was over a month ago that the nightmares had begun.

This person had been planning this for weeks. As that realization flooded through Dick’s senses, the doppelganger stilled inside his chest. What did this being want? No matter how much Dick tried to think about it, he couldn’t find the answers. He didn’t even know who or what this enemy even was. He could handle villains. He could handle jailbreaks. He could handle weird metahumans and even intergalactic problems.

This, however, was on a whole new level.

“Star, listen to me,” said Dick, his tone extremely serious. Then, it dropped to a whisper, “And… And y–you can’t think I’m crazy.”

In the glow of Starfire’s starbolt, Dick could see the glimmering light in her eyes. There was quite a bit of fear that laid within those beautiful eyes. When Dick said that they were under attack, she took him seriously. He could read her eyes so well and the frightening thing was they were saying the same things Dick was thinking.

Just what were they going to do?

They were the Teen titans. It was their job to take down their enemies. They were a team. They were heroes. This was what they did. They protected people and fought against those who would harm others.

 _This is what they did_.

And yet, the world was quick to forget that a number of its members had barely even begun puberty and most were barely eligible for their permit in driving.

How quick they were to forget.

“I would never think you crazy, Dick,” said Starfire, her hand warm against his cheek. She hadn’t removed it. “What is it?”

Dick took a deep breath. “Remember my nightmares?” There was a nod in the emerald glow. “I don’t think they’re normal. I think… I think someone is attacking us. And they’re also targeting me.”

_‘Took you long enough to figure it out, Dickieboy.’_

Dick closed his eyes, pained by the voice.

“He’s talking to me,” whispered Dick. “He keeps talking to me, telling me things.”

_‘You best stop telling her this. The girl you love is liable to think you’ve gone off the deep end.’_

“What does this enemy say?” asked Starfire, the strength undeniable in her voice. “Why does he not come forth and fight face to face? Is he a coward to use such sickening battle tactics? I am not amused by this!”

Dick was surprised by her intensity and just as she spoke those words, that familiar voice hissed in fury.

_‘How dare she!’_

It seemed that Starfire’s words were having an effect on the doppelganger, who appeared to be more than just part of a simple night terror. In the creature’s anger, part of its grip seemed to slip. Clarity entered Dick’s mind. The more the doppelganger ranted, the more the fog lifted.

Dick completely forced himself to tune the creature out – he didn’t have time for this.

“We need to regroup with the others. Let’s get Raven and then we need to stick together after that—”

A scream tore through the Tower; chilling in its pitch.

“ _Raven!_ ”

At that frightening sound, the two of them tore out of the main room. Dick fought against the pain in his chest as he ran, the fear pumping through his veins like a fast acting poison; each pounding step accelerating the process. His mind was racing with the single thought: _please let her be okay_.

And the more he ran, the more the pain inside his chest lessened.

The voice that had spoken to him again in his wakeful hours and now Raven’s scream – everything seemed to be pointing to the fact that his nightmares were something to be wary of, as they were not just a reoccurring dream. This much Dick was sure of at that moment.

And somehow, a peace also entered his heart – _he wasn’t going insane._

In the moment and in the stressful situation, it never crossed Dick’s mind to call Slade. While he did have a phone and also a special communicator solely used for talking with his father, a protection system hadn’t been created for emergencies.

No doubt, after this night, such a system would be put into play.

But, of course, it was a tad late for that.

Dick ran after Starfire through the hallway, the green glow of her powers the only beacon in the darkness. He was suddenly thankful that all the bedrooms were on the same floor. The two of them made quick work of the remaining hallways, until they reached Raven’s room. With a cry of power, Starfire wrenched the sliding door open.

“Raven, are you all right?” cried Starfire, flying into the room, with Dick following after her. He pulled out his staff and readied himself for a fight.

But there was no enemy there.

Raven was curled up on her bed, clutching a pillow, and fearfully trembling there. Starfire slowly floated over to her and placed a hand onto her shoulder. Dick walked to the bed and sat on the edge, his weight dropping the mattress slightly.

“Raven, what is the matter?” asked Starfire, her voice soft.

Maybe it was all in Dick’s mind. Was he just imagining all this? Raven didn’t seem like she had been attacked. She just appeared as if something was greatly troubling her. Maybe Terra had just gone to the bathroom.

“It’s nothing. Just a… Just a bad vis— _dream_. Just a _dream_.”

The alarm flooded back through Dick’s mind.

“Raven, what kind of dream?” asked Dick, his breath catching in his throat. She glanced at him, before she broke her gaze.

“It’s nothing.”

“Raven, I’m serious – this is important. _What kind of dream?_ ”

There was a small intake of breath. Slowly, Raven sat up from her place on the bed. Starfire still provided the emerald glow of light from her hand. The green hues lighted those violet eyes. Dick could still a haunting glimmer within them.

“I can’t talk about it,” whispered Raven.

Panic rose inside Dick. She knew. She was experiencing the same thing right now, wasn’t she? She was seeing the same things he had every night. Did she have her own dark self to deal with? Did the ones she love differ from Dick’s loved ones?

Dick grabbed Raven by the shoulders, startling the girl.

“Raven, I’ve had nightmares for weeks and they’re all the same.” The girl’s eyes widened. “Tell me your nightmare is the same as all mine. If you explain, then we can defeat this enemy. Someone is _attacking_ us.”

Raven’s eyes slid away from connecting with Dick’s gaze.

“Raven, I know you’re scared,” whispered Dick, and now those violet eyes – glimmering in their light – lifted back up to meet crystal blue. “I am, too. But we need to know everything we can about this enemy. You know something, don’t you?”

Raven just shook her head, her eyes glancing away again.

“Raven, _please_.”

There was a moment where Raven didn’t move or say anything. Then, her gaze slowly lifted back up. There was an intense amount of pain inside her eyes.

“Something… is supposed to happen on my birthday,” whispered Raven, her arms wrapping around her waist. “Something _bad_.”

Dick couldn’t make the connection, nor did he understand. What did that have to do with the nightmares? Were they truly a premonition of what was to come? But why would the enemy target him? What did showing him such things do for the enemy? All it really did was cause Dick pain and confusion. What more could it serve?

Of course, he didn’t have much more time to consider it either.

The enemy struck.

Something terribly hard collided with intense force into Dick; blasting him to the side to crash into the wall. Bright stars popped in his mind as pain flared in all areas of his body.

“ _Dick!_ ”

A moment later, there was another scream from Raven, just as Starfire pulled her away from the flying object. It connected with the bed with a tremendous crunch; completely destroying the bed there. Dick groaned deeply, his mind fuzzy in the waves of pain that washed over his senses. He pushed himself upward. As Dick looked up, his heart stopped in his chest.

In the air, standing on a floating rock, was Terra.

Her eyes glowed with the yellow light of her power. Starfire had pulled Raven to the side, saving her from being part of the destruction that was her bed. Dick could only look from the bed to Terra and it was then that he realized what had just happened.

_Terra had attacked them._

“Terra, what is the meaning of this?” asked Starfire, slowly lowering Raven to the floor next to Dick.

In the quick moment, Dick’s mind was already quickly putting together the pieces. A female caller had given them that tip about the scorpion. Terra had more or less admitted to the fact that it had been her who had done this. The scorpion had been powerful, one of the like Dick had never seen before – despite its size.

With Terra’s power, it could’ve been all too easy to _create_ such a creature.

But that still didn’t explain the lava inside.

“Hey, guys, I wasn’t expecting you to get here so fast,” said Terra, her eyes ever glowing; her tone completely different than the usual girl that had been their friend – their awkward, insecure friend. No, this tone held a dark confidence within it.

Had Slade been right about this girl from the beginning? Had Dick been so foolish to allow this girl entrance into their home, to feed her of their food, to become her friend – had all of that been wasted on someone who was their enemy?

“Terra, why are you attacking us?” asked Dick, slowly getting to his feet. He fell into a fighting stance, waiting for another attack, yet it was soft enough to come across as a nonthreatening one.

Had it all been a lie from the beginning? Terra always seemed strange. She always had a lie on her lips. She had lied about her age, where she had come from – she could’ve said anything and the Titans would’ve believed her. Wintergreen seemed to know something about her, but was it enough? Was it the complete picture? Why was Terra suddenly attacking them?

“It’s the birthday girl’s special day,” said Terra, her rock lowering to the ground. She leapt off and landed onto the floor. The only light that filled the room was from the light of Starfire, the light of Terra, and the lights of the city, which streamed through the hole in the wall that had been blasted through. It illuminated the destroyed bed. “Had to do something nice for her.”

“You aren’t making any sense, Terra,” said Dick, trying to keep his tone calm. “ _Why are you attacking us?_ ”

In the reflecting, glowing light, Terra smiled darkly. “I have a message for Raven.”

There was a shuddering gasp from Raven.

“No, no, you stay away from me, you _traitor,_ ” said Raven, her voice quavering as she tried to maintain her calm. It was obvious that she was terribly frightened, however. Her hand was lifted into the air, black power flaring there. “Just keep away from me.”

“Oh, Rae, you know I can’t do that.”

Dick was watching the two of them where he stood. Raven was on the floor, curled against the wall, with Starfire at her side; protection completely in the alien girl’s glowing eyes.

Terra was targeting Raven. An unknown was targeting Dick. _They had to be connected_.

What the heck was going on around here?

“The message will be delivered,” said Terra, her smile growing darker. “Sorry, guys, but you can’t hate the messenger.”

With a loud cry, Terra lifted her arms in the air and thrust them forward. Dick rolled out of the way, the sounds of rock pelting the wall snapping in the air a second afterward. Just as Dick managed to get into a crouch, he saw Terra go after Raven. Starbolts defended her, the green blasts crashing into the open hole in the wall; the gap widening further.

“Starfire, take Raven and run!” shouted Dick, grabbing his staff off the floor from where it fell. He quickly blocked another round of rocks.

“But—”

“ _Go! Protect her at all costs!_ ”

“Oh, I won’t let you get away from me,” said Terra, throwing more stones toward them. Starfire ignored Raven’s protests – something about flying by herself – and grabbed her. Starfire immediately flew out of the room with Raven. As Terra tried to go after them, Dick blocked her path. He made a stance, preparing himself for a fight.

“I won’t let you hurt Raven.”

“I never said I was going to _hurt_ her,” said Terra, a small chuckle escaping, but it didn’t sound friendly whatsoever. “I just said I had a _message_ for her.”

“Throwing those rocks seems pretty rough to me,” countered Dick. “Any intent you have is obviously is meant to harm. You don’t seem too friendly right now. So, if you want to get to Raven, then you’ll have to go through me.”

“With pleasure,” purred Terra.

A boulder flew out of the darkness. Dick barely had enough time to leap over it. He rushed forward, knowing that Terra was weak against hand to hand combat. A few blows were exchanged and Dick felt the confusion rise. She was doing decently – at least, better than she had in all their training times and the few with Slade.

How had she gained the control and the skill so quickly?

But she wasn’t excellent. She had gotten better somehow, yes. But it wasn’t a huge increase of skills. After being trained by Slade for seven months and beyond, such fighting had become child’s play to Dick. Of course, Terra had more than just hand to hand combat.

Just as Dick dodged an oncoming blow to the face from Terra, he dropped to a crouch and swept the girl off her feet. She fell onto the ground with a cry, landing on her back. Before Dick could restrain her, her eyes glowed yellow once more. A moment later, something hard caught Dick in the chest. He blasted backwards with a cry.

There was no impact.

Panic flooded through Dick’s systems as he realized he was falling out the destroyed section of the wall. He scrambled to get a grappling hook from his utility belt. Before he managed to pull it out, he felt claws grab at his shoulders. The projection of his fall was altered and a moment later, Dick’s feet met the ground.

The crashing sounds of the waves lifted into the air, the light from the city glimmering against its flickering surfaces. There were no stars to be noticed in the sky, despite it being a cloudless night – not to mention, the pollution of the city lights hid these as well. No moon was seen, either.

Beast Boy dropped next to Dick, his body transforming from the green pterodactyl to the green boy.

“Rob, what’s happening?” asked Beast Boy, just as Cyborg came running out of the front door of the Tower. “We can’t find Terra anywhere – even on the bottom floor – and then I saw you falling. What’s going on?”

“You’re not going to like the answer,” said Dick, glancing back up at the Tower. The height he had fallen was in the upper section of the T. If either his grappling hook or Beast Boy hadn’t worked in saving him, that would’ve been a height to be killed from – not something that was an attractive option whatsoever.

Did Terra care if she harmed any of them in the process? If she definitely had any major connection with that giant scorpion, had she cared even then if she injured any of them?

Whatever the answer, Dick knew one thing: Terra was _dangerous_.

And at the same time, Dick almost groaned in exasperation. The moment Slade found out about this, Dick was going to bet a hundred bucks that he was in for a _longest_ lecture of his life – and probably the other Titans would be a part of it. None of them were going to escape the censuring tone that Slade would take when giving them a scathing tirade about letting strangers into their home.

And the man would be right, of course.

“What, why?” asked Beast Boy. A chilling breeze blew over them. Cyborg gave Dick a narrowing look.

“Where’s Starfire?”

“She’s with Raven, protecting her.”

“Why would Rae need protecting?” asked Beast Boy, tilting his head to the side. “She’s the scariest of us all!”

A small sound of amusement left Dick’s mouth, but it quickly faded as his expression darkened. “Because, Terra is targeting Raven.”

“ _What?!_ ” came the duel exclamation. Dick didn’t answer, still looking up at the Tower’s height. Would Terra come down after him? Or would she go after Starfire and Raven? To complete her task, whatever that was, she was after Raven. The smart thing to do would be to go after Starfire, rather than engage a more powerful opponent. If Terra thought she was stronger than him, then she was more foolish than Dick had thought in the first place.

The ground shook briefly beneath their feet.

“Dick, you can’t be serious,” said Beast Boy, grabbing Dick by the arm, who looked down at the younger boy. Cyborg was lighting up some of the area with a flashlight from his shoulder. There was fear inside those green eyes and Dick noticed that the boy was doing it again – calling him by name. “Tell me you were just giving us a bad joke. Tell me that’s a lie.”

“It’s not, BB,” whispered Dick. “Terra is attacking the Tower. We were lied to – lied to from the very beginning. Dad was right. We should’ve been more careful.”

“But this is Terra!” cried Beast Boy, his gloved hands digging into Dick’s arm. “She’s our friend!”

“I know that. But apparently the feelings didn’t go both ways.”

“Why are you so calm!?” shouted Beast Boy, the fury blasting from his tone. His eyes seemed to glimmer more in agony. “How can you just stand there and be calm over this?”

“Beast Boy, I’m anything but calm,” whispered Dick, taking a deep breath as he did so. The younger boy’s eyes widened and he went silent.

It was true. At that very moment, he was forcing every single emotion inside his chest down. The voice had quieted, the pain beyond that of Terra’s attacks had ceased – all that was left was Dick’s calculating mind. While a part of his soul was furious at Terra’s betrayal, there was something inside there that was whispering an all true fact: Terra was just a little girl.

Terra was thirteen. She was shy at times. She got nervous around adults – like Slade, for example. She laughed with the group, tried to act cool, got exceptionally embarrassed about ‘girl’ subjects, could eat just about anything and everything – she was a normal person, a normal girl, a normal child. She wasn’t just another criminal.

_She was their friend._

Therefore, she could still be stopped; she could still be convinced to stop her attack – and that was just what Dick planned to do through all this. He was going to give her a second chance, no matter what.

The ground shook again, more violently this time. Cracks widened the ground before red, orange light came through; heat steaming from the fissures. Then, numerous strange creatures plowed their way through the cracks; their bodies glowing with the red molten substance. Their bodies were simple in a humanoid form. They reminded Dick of Cinderblock, but without a face.

Super creepy much indeed.

“Oh, this is just great,” said Cyborg, glaring at the rock like creatures. There was something about them that Dick didn’t like. The air around them suddenly went warmer. There was a small sizzling sound from the creatures.

Dick had to bite down his mouth as an expletive rose inside his mind; one that would’ve made the old man back home drag him to the bathroom to wash out his mouth – and even his ears – with the foulest soap there. He wasn’t sure about Slade stance on swearing, however; and he hoped he never found out.

But the reason for it was simple: _those monsters were filled with lava_ – that glowing, molten red substance had now made that all apparent.

 _Lovely_.

“Guys, whatever you do, don’t make physical contact with them,” said Dick, slowly backing up. “They’re filled with lava, like that giant scorpion we fought a month ago.”

“No…” murmured Beast Boy, taking a step back as well. “That means…”

“From the beginning, Terra had the intent to infiltrate the Tower,” said Cyborg, his voice quiet. The creatures didn’t move, nor did they attack. The three boys didn’t make to attack either.

“Why are you both acting like you expected this?!” cried Beast Boy, his eyes filling with tears. “I don’t understand why—”

“Beast Boy, calm down,” said Dick, overriding him, before the young boy got too hysterical. “We didn’t expect this. I want you to calm yourself down and take each moment slowly. We’re going to get through this and one thing you can be sure of: this night won’t end without me trying to convince Terra to stop this.”

Beast Boy’s eyes widened at that pronouncement. Even Cyborg looked a little surprised. In those words, there was the unfailing confidence from Dick. He wasn’t going to let this girl stay their enemy. She had been their friend – friends stuck by each other’s sides no matter what. One mistake wasn’t going to separate them whatsoever.

Dick had long ago learned that.

There was a loud crash above in the heights of the Tower. Then, Starfire blasted out of a window, glass shattering in her wake. Stones flew after her and then a larger boulder, with Terra on it, zoomed through the air. Starfire whirled around in the air and sent two starbolts at her attacker. The first missed, but the second connected with the rock, shattering it completely.

There was a scream as Terra plummeted to the ground. Dick held out a hand, stopping Beast Boy from flying into the air.

“Wait. If she doesn’t regain herself, then stop her fall. This is a fight. Remember that, BB. We need to subdue her. She’s after Raven and we have to protect her first.”

Beast Boy didn’t seem to like this answer, but he didn’t say anything in response. Cyborg was still on his guard. There were about ten of the lava monsters around them, but they still didn’t seem to be attacking them yet. They stood there like sentries.

As Terra fell, Starfire flew down with her. Before she could grab Terra, another boulder broke from the ground, and flew upward, stopping her fall midflight. Dick let out the breath he had been holding. The Terra they had trained with couldn’t have done that, but after his experience with her so far, he knew she was going to continue to display more of her powers.

Something moved in Dick’s eyesight to the side. He glanced over to see black power pouring from the ground in the form of a crow. In its place stood Raven.

“Raven, what are you doing here?” demanded Dick. “You should be hiding.”

“I was after Starfire left to help you,” said Raven, her voice soft. “But this is my problem and I can’t let you fight her alone.”

“But—”

Dick was cut off, as the monsters began to move and attack. They all directed their attacks at Raven, thick mud spewing from their outstretched arms.

“ _Titans, go!_ ” shouted Dick, throwing an ammunition disc at the line of fire. Ice exploded against the mud, steam rising in the air – confirming Dick’s suspicions about heat within the monsters.

Raven flew into the air with her levitation, avoiding each of the blasts that were directed towards her. Beast Boy transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex; an instant later, he twisted around and slammed his powerful tail into one of the monsters. Cyborg used his sonic cannon, blasting the bright blue light at the creatures.

At the connection of one his blasts, one of the monsters shattered into molten rocks, sending shards of hot, melting stones in all directions. Dick felt one of the rocks land on his upper arm as he fought off a nearby monster. He hissed underneath his breath as the rock heated the skin through his suit.

As Starfire flew to the ground to join the fight, Terra was right behind her as well.

Starfire dropped to the ground and came to Dick’s side; blasting an enemy aside with ease – just as Dick had been planning on taking it down. He glanced at her as she touched his arm.

“Are you well?” asked Starfire, the concern in her face.

“I’m fine, but these monsters are targeting Raven. You’re to protect her at all costs. Leave Terra up to me.”

“But—”

“Just do it!” cried Dick as he broke away and darted towards Terra. She had lifted her arms in the air to thrust them forward, sending a rain of rocks and stones towards Raven’s direction. Dick spun his staff expertly, blocking the attack. He tried to engage Terra, but she avoided fighting with him; keeping all her attention on Raven.

There was a screech of a hawk as Beast Boy flew into the air. Then, there was a tremendous crash as he landed in his large T-Rex form onto the monsters; crushing a number of them under his weight. His leather body protected much of his skin from the heat of the creatures. Then, the boy transformed back into his human form.

“Terra! Why are you doing this, stop it!”

There was a flicker of emotion that raced across Terra’s face, but it hardened a moment later.

“Sorry, Beast Boy, but I have a message to deliver.”

 _Not if I can help it,_ thought Dick. The girl turned her attention onto Raven once more.

“What you have concealed, you shall become!” shouted Terra. The light which glowed from her hands suddenly turned blood red. She pushed off her rock and was shot through the air like a bullet – straight towards Raven.

Dick didn’t have a second to think about it. He rushed to Raven, pushing all his energy into intercepting the attack. He reached her in time to shove her out of the way. A moment later, Terra’s outstretched hands connected with his wrists; the force of the blow blasting him into the ground. Pain ravaged his back as rocks crunched against his body. A scream escaped his lips without his bidding, the fiery, intense burning sensation from his wrists overpowering the rest of the pain in his back.

All the while, the battle between the rest of the Titans and the monsters continued to go on. Beast Boy had leapt, in the form of a tiger, in front of a monster to hover over Raven; roaring fiercely as he stood over her protectively.

Cyborg was using his cannon constantly, doing everything to avoid being touched by the monsters. Every one of them didn’t attack the other Titans. Their only target was Raven. Starfire threw starbolt after starbolt, with the occasional blast from her eyes – gained from her flight into space a few months ago.

From his spot on the ground, Dick gasped; his lungs trying to draw air in as fast as they could. With a hard cry, he wrenched Terra to the side. There was a gasp from her as Dick straddled her; crossing her arms over her chest and applying pressure there. She writhed beneath him, but he didn’t let go.

“Why are you doing this, Terra?” demanded Dick. “We were your friends! We took you in and made you one of our own. How could you betray us?”

“Let me go!”

“You’re our friend, how could you do this to us!?”

“I was _never_ your friend.”

“That’s such crap!” snapped Dick, pushing down on her arms that she gave out a gasp. “Of course, you were and _are_ our friend. What did we do to make you hate us like this?”

The light in her eyes darkened. “ _You were born._ ”

A snort rippled Dick’s throat. A moment later, he started laughing. He let her go and couldn’t help himself. The laughter rang through the air, never wavering in its mirth and strength. Terra pulled out from underneath him, kneeling on the ground as she stared at him; obviously surprised by this reaction. Then, Dick shook his head, finally letting the laughter fade.

“Are you _trying_ to be dramatic?” asked Dick, his incredulous smile widening. “Because lemme tell ya, Terra, you’re failing at it.”

The girl blushed red, the color so intense that even in the dark night it could be seen. She bolted to her feet and furiously swiped her hand through the air.

“Don’t make fun of me!”

“I wasn’t.”

“Yes, you were, you’re laughing at me!”

“I’m laughing,” began Dick, getting to his feet and wincing as pain laced through his body. His wrists throbbed with the burns there. “At the _absurdity_ of your betrayal. _‘You were born.’_ What kind of crap is that? Tell me the _real_ reason you turned on us.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything!” shouted Terra. “Now stop interfering!”

“You’d have to be insane to think I’ll stand by you hurting Raven or anyone of my friends,” said Dick, his eyes flashing darkly. “Yourself included.”

There was a barking, scoffing laugh from Terra. It was such a contrast to her small body.

“You guys are such beautiful hypocrites, it makes me laugh and sick up at the same time,” snapped Terra. “You guys say you’re friends, but you’re always fighting with each other. Was it really because Beast Boy had a crush on me? Even Cyborg seemed against your father. Can something so simple really put you all at odds with each other?”

Dick’s stomach stilled in the shock.

“ _That’s_ what made you turn on us? Because we’re imperfect?” cried Dick, the incredulity pouring through his tone. “Of course, we are and so are you! We’re just a bunch of kids living together. I’m surprised we don’t fight more. But it doesn’t matter. We’re still friends. We still love and care about each other. We may fight, yeah. But in the end, we stick together.”

“I don’t care,” said Terra, her tone dropping. “I just need to do my job. I don’t care if you hate me.”

“Were all those times I talked with you just a lie, then? Are you really that good of an actor?”

Terra stopped. She started trembling.

“You know, I don’t get you,” whispered Terra. “You were always different from the others and I never could understand why.”

“Terra—”

“Every time I talked to you, I felt like I was losing sight of what I was supposed to do. I don’t get it. Why is it every time I talk to you, I feel like…”

Dick’s eyes widened as she trailed off; glancing away. She had been weakened in her resolve – whenever she had talked with Dick, whenever he had tried to befriend her, she had wanted something more than her original objective. She truly had wanted to be friends.

 _What a liar she was_.

But the vulnerability that she displayed vanished away. She turned her hardened gaze on him.

“You know, it was really nice of you to leave the Tower, Dick,” said Terra, her young voice taking on a darker tone. Her shoulders lifted up as she curled an arm around her waist. Dick recognized the actions as an act of defense. “Really, you _almost_ had me convinced. But with you gone, I was reminded of my original goal. So, whatever you did to get yourself grounded, _thank you_.”

Dick sucked in his breath. Those words were like a knife into his heart. He nearly stumbled forward in shock from it. The pure horror of what she was saying filled every part of his soul. He could’ve prevented this. He could’ve been a better friend. He could’ve been there for her. He could’ve _stopped this_.

But because of his selfish choice, because he had made the same mistake _twice_ , his sin was creating horrible consequences. It had been just a simple lie, but the consequences had been greater than he ever imagined. Slade had been right: better to have fading consequences than ones that would place their scarring marks on his life.

This was definitely one of those scars.

Of course, in some ways he was overreacting. True, he could’ve helped stop her from completely turning on them. Yes, he shouldn’t have lied to Slade. This moment could’ve been prevented. However, an attack couldn’t have been prevented.

Since Terra wasn’t the only enemy.

Dick closed his eyes for a moment, before he opened them. He took a deep breath as Terra watched him.

“So, all along you were lying to us?” asked Dick, his voice soft; yet the sounds of the fighting around them didn’t drown its volume. “You accused _me_ of lying, when _you_ were the one doing it all along.”

“Look, it’s nothing personal,” said Terra, her tone wavering as she took a step back. _Liar._ “I’m just doing a job in exchange for something I want,” she continued with a shrug.

“And what’s that?” demanded Dick. “What more could you want that we didn’t give you?”

“Control.”

The answer was swift.

 _Of course_. She had fled in fear of her secret being exposed before. Control? That was it? A home, food, shelter, loving friends, kindness, laughter – all that was secondary to _control?_ Control over what, her powers? Her life?

At that moment, nothing seemed more _out_ of control.

“That’s all I want,” continued Terra. “I don’t want friends. You can hate me. I don’t care.”

 _It took one to know one_. Even though Dick could’ve prevented this in some ways, if he hadn’t lied, he would have never truly realized how much Terra was good at the art. He could see it in her eyes and the way she did everything to avoid his full eye contact. Her body language spoke the same all too well. It took a liar to know a liar.

It was such a strange, conflicting moment, it would seem. However, Dick found his resolve right then.

“You are a _liar,_ ” whispered Dick. Then, he rushed forward. He remembered the time before when he had fought with Rose and when he had tried to extend himself when Terra had tried to flee the tower. Terra, thinking it was an attack, threw an onslaught of rocks and stones Dick’s way.

He dodged every one of them expertly, pulling out a second staff from his belt and extending it. Rocks in various sizes became his stepping stones. Terra threw more his way, the light in her eyes wavering as she tried to take him down. Dick felt his speed increase as the adrenaline poured through his veins faster. He swung his staff and shattered a few of the larger ones that tried to block his path.

Finally, he landed in front of her. She tried to back away and swing her leg in a kick. Dick ducked instantly, holding his stance in a crouch. Once Terra was on both her feet again, Dick dropped his staff and completed the distance – his arms surrounding the thin body in a firm hug.

Everything stopped.

The fighting that had been going on around the two of them ceased completely. The creatures fell back into the earth, and sounds and cries of fighting from the other Titans fell silent. Dick could feel the gasping breath from Terra on his neck, her chest heaving at a rapid speed. It almost felt as if she were beginning to hyperventilate right there in his arms.

So, Dick softened the hug. He lifted his hand to rest against her head, holding her there gently, with his other arm still wrapped around her and lightly patting her back.

“I want you to stop, Terra,” whispered Dick. “Even if you were lying, I know differently. You say you don’t care if we hate you, but you’re the biggest liar of all, aren’t you?”

There was a gasp against Dick’s chest. Hands tried to push themselves away, but this time, Dick wasn’t having any of it. He held onto her, no matter the struggles as she squirmed and twisted in his arms.

“Let go of me!”

“Why should I?” asked Dick, tightening his hold on her. “If I let go, will you fight? I rather the fighting stop. You’re our friend. Nothing will change that.”

There was a soft cry there. With a powerful wrench, Terra managed to escape from the hug. Part of the ground broke away and she lifted into the air, her arms wrapped around her chest in a defensive position. Her eyes were wide and glistening.

“Yeah, Terra!” cried Beast Boy. “You’re our friend. So, please, stop fighting with us. _Please_.”

“Yes, we do not wish to fight with you any longer, Terra.”

“Yeah, c’mon, girl, it’s no fun to fight like this.”

Terra fearfully glanced at each in turn, her sky blue eyes filled with glimmering light.

“Get your butt down here so I can kick it,” said Raven in a deadpan tone. Dick pursed his lips in a smile, knowing Raven’s harsh way in forgiveness. Terra’s eyes widened at this statement.

“No matter what, Terra, you can still be our friend,” said Dick, seeing that the girl was slowly beginning to break down. “Even with your mistakes. We all make them. It’s okay. Whatever you’re going through, _it’ll be okay_. We’re still friends no matter what.”

Dick turned to the others, looking each in the eyes. He could see that they felt the same resolve that he did on the matter. He smiled.

“Right, guys?”

Each nodded with a soft smile – even Raven, though, she did so without the smile – the light in her eyes said it all.

Tears filled Terra’s eyes. She dropped to the ground and softly jumped off her stone. She kept her arms wrapped around her waist and looked up at Dick with pleading sky blue eyes.

“D’you mean it?”

Relief entered Dick’s heart and he gave her a large smile. He held out his arms, hoping to beckon her back into a hug. “Really, Terra. So, will you stop trying to fight us?”

Terra nodded, her arms tightening around her waist some more. She took a step forward as the other Titans gathered around them.

“Yes, I won’t any more. I’m—”

There was a cry of pain as she suddenly doubled over. A moment later, she had dropped to her knees as she screamed in pain. Dick fell to her side, stopping her from completely falling to the ground. The others quickly gathered closer around the two of them.

“Terra!” cried Dick, turning her around in his arms. “What’s going on?”

The girl couldn’t hear him, it seemed. She writhed in pain, her face scrunched up. Her screams were deafening on the ears and made everyone around her feel helpless. Then, there was a brief moment where Terra spoke through her pain.

“He’s… _angry,_ ” she gasped.

“Who?”

But Dick never learned who. He noticed something disturbing as he held her in his arms. Her skin was growing hard and cold. Raven dropped beside them and put a hand onto the girl’s face.

“Terra, push him out,” said Raven, strength in her voice, but there was fear in her eyes. But the girl didn’t acknowledge it. Her skin was turning harder and harder, and it was then that Dick realized that she was turning to stone.

Multiple cries of “ _Terra!_ ” flooded the night air, along with Dick’s cry as well. He watched her in horror. Her face grimaced and twisted in pain. Her eyes were filling with tears. They slipped down her cheeks as her sky blue eyes writhed with the pain; those orbs flittering from each face that looked worriedly down on her.

“ _I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me._ ”

Tears were flowing down her face as the petrification rose upward. Her skin was turning grey as Dick held her in his arms. He couldn’t do anything to stop it. It sealed her away completely, her normally warm flesh turning to cold stone. A simmering, red marking of an S symbol, one which had accents within the centers of the curves of the shape, flared in contrast – red upon grey – on her forehead before it slowly faded away.

There in his arms lay the friend that they had come to care about, who had betrayed them once, and then tried to repent of that choice. But what remained there now was just a stone figure, one which resembled that of their friend. There were so many mixed emotions pouring through Dick’s heart. He glanced up at the others, his chest heaving terribly in his soft gasping breaths.

_‘Stupid girl! How dare she betray the master! May she forever be punished for this!’_

That _horrible_ voice rose upward again. Dick’s eyes widened in shock. Then, it laughed darkly.

_‘Don’t think you are safe, little Dickie. Do you remember my words? I told you before, I will steal from you every sweet thing you’ve ever known. I will destroy your friends and your family. Then, in the end, when you have nothing left, I will kill you. I swear this and promise it in the master’s name.’_

His own dark voice rose inside his mind, repeating the words that he heard every single night. Every time he heard those words, even though they varied somewhat each time, they turned his heart to ice – like a crushing hand that was determined to destroy it. Dick’s heart froze up right then. They were becoming true. That horrible double of his had spoken _truth_.

Here he was, holding Terra’s frozen body. She was gone – _stolen_ from them, just like the grey doppelganger had said.

And the worst part of it all?

_He could’ve prevented this._

Or so he thought.

Pain overflowed Dick’s body. Blackness filled his eyes. His heart felt as if he were going to die. His dream was coming true; that _horrific_ dream was coming true – that was all he could think about. In that moment, he couldn’t take it any more. He wasn’t sure if he was falling back, but he was. There were muffled cries – was someone calling his name? He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t hear any more. He couldn’t think any more. Then, in an instant, the blackness fully overtook him.

Cries called out the boy’s name. Friends gathered around the unconscious boy, anxious fear ever prevalent in their faces. However, they could not pry his hands from the figurine of their lost friend.

There were two trails of petrified tear tracks along the effigy’s cheeks, forever imprinting her sorrows in her frozen death.

 

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on August 29th, Friday:** Chapter Seventeen: Shattered Remains – The betrayal of Terra, and her subsequent repentance and petrification leaves the Teen Titans unsure of what to do. Starfire, worried on Dick’s behalf, convinces him to return home to Slade. With the sudden arrival of two very special people, though, Dick holds back on saying anything about the traumatic event. However, the moment for peace hasn’t come just yet.


	17. Shattered Remains

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Shattered Remains**

 

**May 24th, 2009. Sunday, 10:22 pm.**

“He would want to know, he would want to be aware of Dick’s illness,” protested Starfire.

“It’s not an illness, Star. He only passed out,” said Cyborg.

The four of them were currently sitting in the main room of the Tower. None of them wanted to deal with the destruction caused by Terra when she had gone after Starfire and Raven. In the end, Cyborg had finally managed to pull Dick away from Terra. While Beast Boy took Dick in his arms – he transformed into a gorilla – Cyborg carried the frozen body of Terra back inside. She was currently in the medical room on a white bed. Dick was lying on the couch of the main room, Starfire sitting at the end and allowing his head to rest on her thighs. Her hand was automatically carding through his black bangs, the worry of Dick’s collapse whirling inside her heart.

“He was coughing up blood!” cried Starfire. “He would want to know. He is the father of Dick. He would—”

“Let’s just calm down, okay, Star?” said Cyborg, sighing exasperatedly. “There’s nothing to worry about. Rob only fainted. Maybe you were imagining the blood. You know, with everything that was going on.”

“Dick does not normally faint!” cried Starfire, almost hysterically now. “I know blood when I see it. Dick does not normally cough up blood. Something is  _wrong!_ ”

Cyborg sighed again. Beast Boy’s ears were drooping. Raven was silent. The mood in the entire Tower was depressing. They couldn’t understand why Terra had betrayed them. They mourned her absence and loss, even though she had turned on them. They had come to accept her into their group with ease.

But then, she had so perfectly turned her back on them. She had targeted Raven, had tried to attack her for some unknown reason. She had thrown their sacred friendship right into their faces. And for what? In the end, she had tried to repent, she had tried to change her decision.

Then, somehow, she had turned to stone. Why, they didn’t know. By whom, they didn’t know. And how they could save her, that also they didn’t know.

Their lack of knowledge was driving them crazy; the insanity of their minds billowing up like an approaching storm.

On top of it all, there was something wrong with Dick. He had literally fainted with Terra in his arms. He  _never_  fainted – he was their leader. He was always so much stronger than the rest of them – even though physically that wasn’t the case. For him to fall in a fight was simply unheard of – even with the most grievous of wounds.

“Look, Star, just give him some time to rest. We all need to…”

Cyborg trailed off, a pained look entering his expression.

Starfire knew, as a group, they felt lost. They needed Dick’s smile to relieve some of the suffering inside their hearts. But the more Starfire thought about that, the more she felt it was selfish of them to require that of their leader.

They had lasted seven months without his strength. They had endured those hours that felt suffocating; when every minute felt worse than the last – they had survived that and shone through that trial with growth. If they could survive that horrible, hard time, they could last one night without Dick. They had done it before. They could do it again. They had gathered their own power together as a group. They couldn’t expect Dick to hold them together, because he himself needed someone to lift him up. She had seen the horror in his expression.

He, just like the rest of them, felt terribly shaken by this betrayal, attack, and return – and, in the end, the frozen nature of their friend.

She would still consider the girl a friend, even if Terra didn’t think it.

Not only that, Starfire had been the witness of something terribly frightening. She had watched Dick fall. In the darkness, she had watched him fall to his knees, couching with such vigor that it frightened her to no end. Then, she had caught sight of the substance that painted his hands.

When she had brought light to the room, it was at that moment when she realized what had happened. Dick had coughed  _blood_. That wasn’t good at all – even she knew that. She wasn’t that naive. She knew that something was  _terribly_  wrong.

To dismiss it was foolishness. He couldn’t stay here. Slade would know what to do; he cared for Dick. She had seen it in the man’s eye. It was an emotion that was reserved for only Dick. She had caught glimpses of it before, but there was such a tenderness in that grey blue eye when it gazed at Dick.

Starfire knew that Slade loved Dick.

Love was something that Starfire had learned about when coming to earth. Her people were ruled by their emotions, yes. But the delicate emotion that was love never made its appearance within Tamaran. Marriage was arranged for peace reasons. Reproduction was only for bringing forth the next generations. It had only been when Starfire came to earth that she learned how exactly she felt for certain people in her life.

Galfore had been the one to raise her after her parents had died. She cared deeply for him, a love that she believed was the same that Dick felt for Slade. Her feelings towards her sister were conflicted and complicated, due to Blackfire’s wild and cruel nature –  but she knew she cared for her sister. It wasn’t the same, though. Her feelings towards her friends were more powerful. She truly cared for them.

But what she felt for Dick seemed just a little different. It was… something more.

Thus, Starfire knew something had to be done. For Dick’s sake, in the very least. She gently began to pat Dick on the cheek, hoping to rouse him from his fainting. If she allowed him to stay, then they would go back to the people they once were. He needed to leave; he needed to go home – they needed time to gather their failing hearts. She patted a little harder when Dick wouldn’t wake.

“Starfire, what…” Cyborg trailed off once again. Then, shaking his head, he sat down on the couch.

A moment later, Dick’s eyes flittered open, his bright blue eyes hazed over as he looked up at Starfire. She smiled down at him, pleased that he was awake and well. Then, the light began to fill his eyes. He slowly sat up, glancing around the room; his gaze fixing on each Titan briefly, before settling on Starfire last.

“What happened?”

“You don’t remember?” asked Cyborg, his voice low; the pain hidden there.

“I remember… Terra.”

Dick’s expression darkened immediately. Starfire recognized a similar color in his face that Beast Boy always had in his skin. She wasn’t sure what that meant for Dick, though. He put a hand to his mouth, appearing to be sick for a moment. His eyes squeezed shut, as if he were trying to escape some image that had flashed before his eyes.

Finally, he swallowed once and lowered his hand. He still looked queasy, but the moment had passed and he began to settle down.

“Are you well, Dick?” asked Starfire, her voice soft and quiet.

Dick could only sit on the couch, the emotions of his heart swirling inside his chest like a tornado. Starfire sat next to him, nearly snuggling up close at his side. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders; resting her head there. Dick was thankful for her presence. He couldn’t return it, though. The intensity of his emotions was far greater than he had imagined. And he knew all too well that he wasn’t the only one in the room that was feeling the exact same thing. He wanted to shout, scream, tear out his hair; he wasn’t sure if he wanted to rage at the world or just drop down, curl up, and sob for a century – the two conflicting emotions warring against each other inside his heart.

Something big was happening. His nightmares weren’t normal. That much was  _fully apparent_  now. In fact, someone was targeting him and attacking him – along with the Tower. Raven was also a target. Why was this happening? Who had sent the doppelganger to haunt his nights? He had mentioned something about a master. It had revealed some very interesting, yet disturbing things.

First, whatever it was, something was after Raven. Terra had targeted her, after all, on orders from some enemy. She had come to the Tower to attack Raven from the beginning. No wonder Raven had felt uneasy around her. The empath could feel whatever Terra had been planning – not that Raven  _knew_  exactly what Terra’s presence had meant. She just hadn’t trusted her from the beginning.

Dick had placed his trust in the wrong person. He shouldn’t have trusted Terra with his identity. Slade had been right – the man usually was, after all.

However, the doppelganger revealed something else. Dick wasn’t the only target of it. Slade, too, was involved with something as well. What, Dick couldn’t be sure. The doppelganger almost mentioned something about ‘all three of them’ – who could they be? Slade was included in the group, so who was the other two? Dick tried to think about it further, but his mind was screaming at him; pulling him in all sorts of directions.

The biggest thought and feeling that overflowed his senses was the feeling of helplessness.

Dick felt helpless beyond measure. He wasn’t a stranger to the feeling, having felt it when he’d been a captive of Slade, before everything leveled out and actually became a wonderful, yet crazy normal. He knew what this felt like, and once again, he was faced with the unknown – he had  _no_  idea how to deal with those feelings.

Dick’s chest shuddered as he breathed in slowly. He was thankful that the other Titans remained silent. He wasn’t sure if he could handle talking; the sound of people’s voices seemed so ridiculous.

This whole thing just wasn’t fair at all! Dick had tried to be a good friend. He had tried to pull Terra out of the darkness. Yet, in the end, she had chosen otherwise. She had even flipped back and forth. Dick couldn’t understand the fickle, vulnerable personality that was Terra. And even though Terra had betrayed them once, Dick still wanted to save her. He still wanted to see her back to normal and still their friend – even with the past mistakes.

If there was one thing that Dick knew, it was how to forgive. Because of such a skill, because of such a choice that Dick made for himself, his life had changed for the better. Not only that, he had the power to change the lives of others as well – namely, being the adopted son of Slade. If the unimaginable could happen like that, then there was no way that Dick would let Terra fall through the cracks.

But they still had to figure out a way to free her.

And still, there was that helpless feeling pressing at Dick’s heart once again. This whole thing just felt out of balance, like everything was just too hard for him now. What more could he have done? He definitely shouldn’t have lied, that much he knew. But if he truly had been at the Tower, would Terra have still betrayed them? Did a single, stupid choice really tilt the balance of her heart?

Why did Dick even have to worry about such things?! Children made mistakes all the time, but they usually didn’t bear such a colossal weight on their shoulders. They made mistakes all the time and parents were there to correct them, and to teach them otherwise. Why couldn’t Dick be that, too? Why did  _his_  single choice have such an impact?!

_It wasn’t fair!_

_This isn’t normal._

_We’re not normal. What are we doing? What are we trying to do? What are we trying to prove? Are we even making a difference? If we can’t even save one lost little girl, then what the freaking heck are we doing here?!_

The anger, the betrayal, the fear, the uncertainty – all of it overflowed.

Dick bolted to his feet and took a few paces forward. He heard the uncertain, “Dick?” from Starfire, but he didn’t answer. He just stood there, his chest heaving up and down as he breathed. His eyes burned. His heart burned. His chest burned.  _Everything just hurt._

And then, it burst forth.

“Why does everything have to happen to us?” demanded Dick, his fists clenched at his sides. His hands began to tremble. “Why did something like this have to happen?”

Uneasy silence met those questions. Dick squeezed his eyes shut, his entire face scrunching up with the pain that he felt. It lasted only a moment, before his eyes popped open and further words spewed outward.

“ _We’re just kids!_ ” shouted Dick, whirling around. Everything was crashing down on his soul. He felt out of his element. The tragedy that had befallen them just felt  _too much_. He never felt younger in his entire life. Not even when Slade was scolding him for lying to the man had Dick felt this  _young_. There was just something so overwhelming about this whole thing.

The other Titans looked troubled as Dick continued to rant unhappily.

“We’re just  _stupid, little_  kids!” cried Dick, slicing a hand through the air. “We’re so  _young_ , it’s not even funny! Why are we doing this? Why aren’t we  _normal?_ ”

Tears started to well up inside Starfire’s eyes. Her lips began to tremble. Raven was hidden beneath her hood; Cyborg obtained a stricken look against his human features, while Beast Boy’s ears drooped with depression.

“Why are we doing this?” repeated Dick again in a low whisper. “We should be in school, acting like normal kids, doing kid things. Our biggest worry should be whether or not we’re going to pass tomorrow’s math quiz. We shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not our home will be attacked or if our new friend is going to betray us and sell us out for whatever reason. We shouldn’t have to deal with things like someone targeting us for some unknown reason.  _Why does this happen to us?!_ ”

Dick flopped down into a nearby armchair, dropping his face into his hands. He shook his head, unable to fully understand the whirlwind that was his emotions.

“We’re so out of our league,” whispered Dick. “What are we expecting to accomplish here? What are we trying to prove? To do?”

As Dick shook his head some more, his face hidden inside his hands, tears began to burn at his eyes. But he did everything he could to hold them back. He would not cry in front of them. There would be no tears here. He was the leader, the strength that held them all together. If he cracked and fell, they all would follow him.

A hand touched his shoulder, gently squeezing him there. Dick looked up to see Starfire leaning over him at his side. There were tears in her eyes, yet there was strength and tenderness inside them.

“Go home,” whispered Starfire. As Dick widened his eyes at this, Starfire’s hand moved to lovingly clasp his cheek. It was so  _kind_  and soft, and Dick found himself frozen by the hand. “Go home, Dick.”

“What? No, I—”

A strange intensity crossed Starfire’s expression. Fear entered her monochromatic eyes. She grabbed Dick by the hands and knelt down in front of him, the fear whirling with such power that it shook Dick to his core. He was captured by those eyes, unable to comprehended that she was actually holding his hands.

“Dick, you were coughing blood,” whispered Starfire, the pain and fear inside her voice. Though her voice was ever so quiet, every ear heard it. “Not even on my home planet does this signify as a good thing. Something is very,  _very_  wrong.”

 Dick’s throat tightened; his eyes burned – the warmth of her soft hands seeping into his skin.

“Go home to your father, Dick,” said Starfire; a thumb stroked the skin on Dick’s hand. Her voice was now only loud enough for him to hear. “Tell him that you are unwell. We cannot help you in this, but he can.”

“Starf—”

Cyborg’s voice was cut off as Starfire lifted a warning hand to him. She never tore her gaze away from Dick and he could see that warning flashing through it. Her eyes were locked onto his; that intense gaze never wavering. Dick swallowed, unsure what to say. As her words sunk into his mind, he knew that she was right. There was something very wrong. But he couldn’t leave the Tower. His friends still needed him. He was still needed as the leader of the Teen Titans.

What kind of leader was he if he just left them when they needed him the most?

“Dick,  _please,_ ” pleaded Starfire, the intensity fading away into something soft and tender. “Please go to Slade. Please let him help you.  _Please_  get well for us, your friends. We cannot lose you, too.”

Dick’s lips began to tremble and he nodded. This was a strange moment for him. Starfire had never shown such feelings before. This was the girl that he cared for and even loved dearly – but this moment seemed to transcend that. Her hands were still clasped over his and she was still kneeling down in front of him. It was an almost mothering moment, but at the same time, it was something far more special from his dear friend.

She was showing him a side that she normally didn’t show to anyone else. Starfire was truly worried about him. It was written in her eyes. She was sacrificing the needs of the team for  _him_. She cared about him in return, perhaps just as much as he cared about her. Was this her love for him? Was there that chance? Did those eyes feel the same? Did that heart feel the same?

_Could he hope for that?_

Dick nodded again, stronger now. Starfire smiled at him; a gentle, warm smile. She fluidly stood up, taking with her the warm hands that had been holding onto Dick. He found that he greatly missed them. He found that he was little too dependent on such soft warmth. Was that okay? Surely it had to be okay. Slade told him many times that it was.

Of course, there was a problem going back home. There was no easy mode of transportation from off the island.

Dick silently motioned a finger to Starfire. She tilted her head to the side curiously, but she then leaned closer to Dick. He leaned up and whispered softly in her ear, hoping that only she could hear him.

“ _I need help getting home._ ”

Starfire pulled back and gave Dick an appreciative smile. She nodded and looked over at the others. She put a hand onto Dick’s shoulder, squeezing him there gently.

“Friends, I will return shortly. I will see Dick to his father.”

“But Starfire—”

“Let them go, Cy,” said Beast Boy, speaking up with a quiet voice. Cyborg look startled that the youngest spoke up. Dick turned slightly to see that Beast Boy looked extremely emotional. His green eyes were bloodshot and were glistening with tears. But through it all, he was gazing at Cyborg with what little strength he possessed.

“If Starfire says that Dick is sick, then we should let Slade take care of him,” said Beast Boy. A warm glow filled Dick’s chest. The younger boy was using his name again and not just between the two of them – he was doing it like Starfire. “Slade’ll know what to do for him. Coughing up blood is serious stuff. We can’t deal with that.”

Cyborg sighed and nodded. Dick stood up, Starfire’s hand withdrawing from his shoulder, and came to Beast Boy’s side. He gently ruffled the spiky hair there in quiet thanks to his younger friend. Dick’s emotions locked his voice and he didn’t try to say anything. The young boy’s eyes glistened heavily, and a moment later, a small body collided against Dick. There were soft whimpers as thin arms tightened around his waist. Dick returned the hug, holding onto the young boy with all his strength. Finally, he found that he could speak.

“Thanks, BB,” whispered Dick.

There was the tightening of arms around his waist. Dick simply held onto the younger boy. He could tell that in the moment, Beast Boy was taking the time to cry in his chest, hidden from the others. Soon, there was a deep sniffle and Beast Boy withdrew. His eyes were even more red than they were before, his dark green eyelashes wet from fallen tears.

But there was a smile on his face; somewhat pained, somewhat fake, yet filled with the act of trying, filled with an element of strength – something that shouldn’t have been on a thirteen year old’s face. But because of who they were, because of what they had to go through, it was there.

All Dick could do was clasp Beast Boy on the shoulder and squeeze it. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen from here, but he had to fix it. He had to make everything right. He would figure out what was wrong with him. Maybe Slade would give him some of the serum and everything would be better. Everything was going to be better. Somehow, someway, everything was going to look up from here.

Right?

Then, Dick turned to Raven. For a moment, he just looked at her hooded head. Finally, after a long moment, she lowered it for him. There was such sadness inside those violet eyes that Dick felt instantly bad for the girl. She was one of the direct victims here. She had been the target of an attack. Only Starfire had been present for his breakdown. Nothing Dick could say would dampen the blow this had on all of them, but he still wished to try.

“I’m sorry, Raven,” whispered Dick. “You said something bad was supposed to happen on your birthday, but we couldn’t protect your special day. In the end, something bad did happen on your birthday. I’m so sorry.”

For a minute, Raven didn’t say anything to him. But then, it was then that something truly amazing happened. Raven actually  _smiled_. It was gentle and bright; it was full of hope and happiness. Dick had never  _ever_  seen such a smile on the girl’s face. It truly made her beautiful. Dick couldn’t deny it – it took his breath away. At that moment, Dick wished that she would always smile like that.

Then, the girl threw her arms around his neck, shocking him even further.

“ _Thank you, Dick_ ,” came the soft voice. “The bad thing didn’t happen.  _You protected me_.”

It took Dick a minute to actually start breathing again. When he found that he could breathe, he wrapped his arms around Raven and hugged her back. After a moment, she pulled away and gave him a soft smile this time – not quite so full as the one before. Dick returned it, feeling overwhelmed by everything now.

He turned away, unable to understand what was happening. He looked over at Cyborg. The older boy was looking away and made no move to stand up from his seat on the couch. But then, he spoke up, his head turning to look at Dick finally.

“Get better, Rob, okay? Starfire’s right. We can’t lose you.”

Dick smiled weakly and nodded. His eyes lowered to the ground, before they glanced over at Starfire. She had gone to one of the large windows of the main room and was now opening it. She motioned him to come and he walked silently to her.

One by one, they were beginning to acknowledge Dick for  _Dick_ , the boy behind the mask. One by one, they were letting go of the past and moving forward. One by one, they were trying to understand who Dick was and not the boy they thought he was or wanted him to be.

Only one more remained rooted to the past.

As Dick stood by Starfire, he was somewhat startled when she hugged him; her arms wrapping around his waist. He didn’t have time to think much more on it when he felt his feet lift off the ground. He quickly tightened his hold on her and felt the outside breeze flutter over them.

He buried his face in her hair.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 24th, 2009. Sunday, 10:22 pm.**

“I’m okay from here,” whispered Dick, after they had touched ground outside the warehouse. He didn’t want her to come in. He didn’t want Slade to ask any questions just yet and he certainly didn’t want Starfire to answer them.

“Are you sure?” asked Starfire, the light in her eyes taking on a worried tint. “Should I not help you inside?”

“No, Star, really,” said Dick. “Please, I’ll be all right. I can get inside just fine.”

Starfire nodded and an awkward silence rose between them for a moment. Dick rubbed the back of his neck nervously, his head turned to the side somewhat. He wanted to say so much, but he found that there just was no way to articulate it all. Finally, he settled for gratitude.

“Thank you, Star. I’m sorry about this,” said Dick, feeling a little embarrassed that she had flown them all the way home. He was thankful to her, though. He wouldn’t have been able to get home otherwise, not on his own. It was strange, but he could feel the weakness within his body.

Starfire shook her head at him, a bright, yet soft smile spreading through her features.

“It is quite all right, Dick. I am worried for you,” said Starfire, taking his hand into hers. Dick froze from the action, feeling her kindly squeeze his hand. “Please get well. You will call us, yes?”

“Always,” said Dick, smiling back at her.

Then, she pulled him into a hug, leaving him breathless, before she pulled away. With a wave, she lifted into the air, their hands slipping apart. He watched her for a moment. Once she disappeared from sight, he walked into the old warehouse that had become his home. Each step was heavy and difficult for him. If he’d had a mirror, he would’ve been shocked by the paleness his skin took.

After punching the passcode in and entering the main room, he sighed in relief almost. Those gears above still  _clinked_  above. Everything was still normal here. There was nothing strange going on; nothing had changed. At that moment, Dick was thankful for that steadiness. It took him a few moments to walk through the room to the kitchen. His steps were becoming harder for him, his breathing constricting even more.

It was okay. He was going to be okay. It would take him time, but he’d find a way to talk to Slade. Sitting down seemed like a good thing right now, though.

As Dick opened the door of the kitchen, he was surprised to see Slade and Wintergreen at the table talking. They stopped immediately as he paused at the doorway. The two of them looked at him, obviously not expecting him.

“Dick, you’re home,” said Slade, looking surprised. “I thought you were spending the night at the Tower. Isn’t it Raven’s birthday?”

Dick only nodded. He swallowed once. He found that he could taste a faint remnant of blood in his mouth. Starfire had mentioned that he’d been coughing up blood. Dick’s mind was numb to that fact – a fact which should have been alarming to him, but he just couldn’t work up the energy to address it. He knew Slade would be able to know what to do. Thus, he could only stare at the two men who were sitting at that kitchen table.

For a moment, everything felt surreal to Dick. Here he was, standing at the doorway of this kitchen – this kitchen where he had spent so many meals; this kitchen where he had spent hours studying; this kitchen where laughter played, where dishes rattled, where food was eaten, where an odd, yet beautiful family had spent so many,  _so many_  meals together.

Why did it all feel so strange at that moment? Why did it all feel so normal at that moment?

He had a family. He had a home. He had food and warmth. He had friends. He had a father.

_He had love – an abundance of love._

He was so blessed, Dick knew it all too well. Even when things were hard, there was still so many good things left. He had gained a father in the most unlikeliest of places. It truly was something to be remembered and be thankful for – and Dick was,  _truly_  he was. Things were good, were they not? There was unconditional love here in this home. He had a caring father, whom he loved in return –  _very much so_.

And yet, Dick still felt as if something was too much. Sometimes, it just  _felt_  too much. Dick no longer knew what to do any more. He wasn’t sure where to go from here. He was confused. Where would his footsteps lead him from here? Could Slade really help with this? What could be said to mend the broken? What could Slade say to bring comfort? There was nothing to say.

Terra had still betrayed them. Nothing could change that fact. Dick still felt out of his league. His friends felt gutted from the attack. How could they move on from this? Who could they trust now? Was simple kindness a fading art? Could they no longer extend themselves to help others in fear of being hurt themselves?

Could they even trust themselves now?

“Dick, what’s wrong?” asked Slade, setting his mug onto the table. Dick only shook his head, unable to articulate the swirling feelings that were blowing inside his chest. The man made to stand up, but he never got a chance to do so.

“ _Dick-ie-bird!_ ”

Something soft collided from behind Dick, causing him to startle in surprise. He recognized that voice, but what was she doing here? Hold up, how’d she even get in the door? It was coded! Not only that, it was the end of May. Both Rose and Joey were supposed to visit in June. Arms wrapped around his neck and a head settled onto his shoulder. Weight settled against his back, a soft warmth coming from it. Dick managed to glance over to see the owner.

“R–Rose…”

There was a soft giggle and older girl snuggled against his cheek like a playful kitten.

“Didja miss me, little brother?”

 _“Rose, do give me some room to actually enter the door, will you?”_  said a lyrical, yet dry voice from behind. There was a grumbling sigh from Rose as she moved away, pulling Dick with her. The tall young man that was Joey stood in the doorway. The blond hair was curly, while the green eyes sparkled with kindness. Dick felt his chest clench with both happiness and sadness, and he pushed all the dark emotions of his heart down.

He didn’t want to ruin this moment for Slade.

Now wasn’t the time to talk about what had happened at the Tower. There was no reason to bring up sad things when this moment was supposed to be a happy one – even if it were coming unexpectedly. This was the first time Slade had seen either of his real children in over nine years. This was a special moment, one to be cherished. It was  _not_  to be marred by tragedy.

Dick clamped his mouth shut, forcing his emotions back down and ignoring the actual pain it was causing his heart at that moment.

Slade stood up from the table. Dick looked over at the man, seeing the intense emotion whirling in that grey blue eye. He could tell that Slade was restraining himself from hugging his two children. Dick wanted to tell him to stop it, but he found that all his energy was on trying to maintain his own emotions. Sadly, Slade was on his own in this.

 _“Hello, Dad,”_  said Joey, his tone filled with tenderness as he stood in the doorway. His mouth never moved once.  _“It’s been too long, hasn’t it?”_

Slade took a tentative step forward, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the intense emotion that was still over him. Joey also took a step forward, his arms out slightly. Then, almost instantly, both had completed the distance equally and fell into a powerful hug. Dick felt Rose tighten her hold on him. He smiled at the gesture and placed a hand on her forearm that was curled around his neck. Dick watched the two men, father and son, as they continued to hold each other.

Dick was truly happy for Slade. The man finally was reunited with his son. After nine years, it was truly a moment to be celebrated.

As they pulled back, Slade still kept his hands on Joey’s arms, squeezing there tenderly as he looked at his son.

“You’ve grown into a fine young man,” said Slade, his smooth voice almost choked with his emotion. However, before Joey could respond, Rose withdrew from Dick and had flung herself at the man.

“Aaah, I want a hug from Daddy, too,” whined Rose, her arms wrapped around Slade’s waist. The man looked surprised by the sudden affectionate attack, but he smiled anyway and wrapped his arms around her; holding her tightly.

Dick swallowed once, almost feeling out of place in the moment. These were Slade’s real children. He was just the adopted son. Somewhere inside Dick’s mind, a logical and sensible voice was scolding him for even going there. However, there was a darker, silkier voice that was sliding in lies ever so easily.

Further pain clenched Dick’s chest, nearly taking his breath away.

A warm arm drew over his shoulder, causing Dick to look toward its source. Wintergreen had drawn up to him and put his arm around Dick, pulling him against the old man’s side. Dick smiled at Wintergreen, who in return, gave him an emotional smile. Warmth flooded through Dick’s heart as that arm tightened and tugged him against that side once more.

For a brief moment, it seemed to chase away the pain inside his heart – like a bright light causing the darkness to flee. But the force came back, almost double in strength. A small cough broke through Dick’s defenses. He tried to stop it, but it came once again.

“Child, are you all right?” asked Wintergreen, sounding concerned. He placed a warm hand onto Dick’s forehead.

“I’m fine,” whispered Dick hoarsely, trying not to cough again. Wintergreen didn’t look convinced.

“Sit down and I’ll get you a cup of warm milk to soothe your throat.”

Dick obeyed, not wanting to cause a scene. He was thankful to sit down, anyway. He felt a hand rest against his shoulder and he looked up to see Slade looking down on him.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” asked Slade, wearing that same concerned expression that the old man had displayed. Dick nodded, trying to smile.

 _“I’m sorry, we kind of came a bit earlier than expected,”_  said Joey, his mouth still unmoving as his words filled the air.  _“We should’ve called, but there was just so much to do to prepare for the move.”_

“It’s perfectly all right,” said Slade, looking up. “Are you settled in? Where are you staying?”

Joey got a strange look on his face, one that was almost mischievous and sheepish.

_“Here.”_

Slade raised an eyebrow, just as Dick’s eyebrow lifted into his bangs. So, it  _was_  a mischievous look. It held a remnant of Slade in that expression. It was like seeing a younger Slade, except with green eyes and with a softer complexion.

“What?” said Slade, looking thoroughly surprised. Joey got that sheepish expression on his face again. His lips pursed slightly in the effort to hold back a wide smile.

_“Well, I thought it would be best just to room here, instead of renting an apartment.”_

“Not to mention,  _free_ ,” put in Rose smugly. Joey actually went somewhat pink at those words. Wintergreen chuckled quietly as he warmed some milk on the stovetop.

 _“Well, yes, there was that variable that needed to be considered,”_  said Joey, smiling with those pink cheeks.  _“But I really wanted us to have more time together. We’ve missed so much as a family that I felt this was the perfect opportunity to be together.”_  He faltered for a minute as he looked between the group.  _“Unless there’s no room here, then that’s completely understandable—”_

“No, there’s room for you,” said Slade, quickly overriding Joey; that surprised look still on his face. “For the both of you, actually.”

Joey blinked.  _“T–there is?”_  he asked, looking at Slade with mild surprise. The man started to look uncomfortable and Dick saw the same vulnerable air come over him. Then, it passed as Slade attempted to cover it up.

“Well, when I built this place, I just made enough room…” began Slade, looking to the side as he trailed off. Dick smiled softly. Of course, Slade made enough room in this place. It didn’t surprise Dick, actually, knowing what he did about the man’s feelings on his first family. “Enough room for you two to have your own bedrooms, in fact.”

Slade rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, still looking uncomfortable with revealing this information. Joey’s mouth was opened in a perfect circular shape, his green eyes blinking a few times as he digested this. Then, after another moment, his face flooded in an overwhelming smile; his eyes brightly lifted with the happiness.

 _“I guess I did the right thing, then,”_  said Joey, his voice choked with emotion, even though his face never moved in the smile – those lips unmoving. There was an awkward moment of silence as Slade only nodded to that. It was such a funny and strange moment. Here was Slade’s chance to talk and interact with his children after so many years of being separated from them, and the man was acting like an awkward boy in his teens.

It was an amusing picture for Dick to see, never having seen such a side to the man before.

Dick felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up. Wintergreen handed him a mug filled with steaming milk and he accepted it with a smile. Slade’s hand was still on his shoulder and he appreciated the warmth that it brought to his skin. Dick sipped the warm milk, noticing that it was laced with honey. It did soothe his throat somewhat, but the tickle inside his chest was still there. He coughed softly a few times as he tried to drink.

When he couldn’t take it any more, he set the half finished mug onto the table. He needed to get out of here. He needed to figure out what was wrong with him – but he couldn’t take this time. Tomorrow he could talk with Slade.

“I think I’ll just go to bed, Dad. I am a little tired,” said Dick, his voice weak as he spoke. He pushed himself up, using the table for help. He took a few steps forward to the hallway. Slade looked concerned as he looked him over. A hand rested against his forehead, stopping his walk, and Dick found that he was closing his eyes in spite of himself. Another hand came to clasp his cheek.

“Are you unwell, Dick? You look very pale.”

“I’m fine.”

Something tightened inside his chest, a small twinge of pain flaring up there.

_Why am I doing it again? I can’t stop. What’s wrong with me?_

“Dick, you don’t look well at all. What’s wrong?”

“I thought the same, Slade. Doesn’t he look pale? I’m not imagining it, then.”

“I’m okay.”

_Stop it! Stop saying you’re okay when you’re not. Tell him! I know I don’t want to interfere with this moment, but something is wrong. Open your mouth and speak the truth about how you’re feeling. Why aren’t I able to listen to myself? It’s like I have no control…_

“Dick, there’s something undeniably wrong – you’re losing what little color you have as I speak. Explain— _Dick!_ ”

Strong hands grabbed Dick by the shoulders, just as his legs gave out beneath himself. Dick dropped his weight to rest against the wall. There were frantic voices that were calling his name, but he couldn’t focus on any single one. There was a roaring inside his ears that drowned it all out.

He didn’t want to ruin the moment for Slade and his children. Why was this happening? Why was he so sick? He was fine minutes ago. There was something definitely wrong now, but he couldn’t understand it. He needed to remove himself from the room, that way Slade could have a quiet moment with Joey and Rose. The man deserved that much. So, why?  _Why_  couldn’t Dick pick up his feet and walk?

Pain flooded through his chest, a twisting, constricting pain causing him to cry out from its powerful force. He doubled over. He would’ve fallen to his knees if he weren’t being held up by those strong arms. A coughing fit came over his entire body, just as the pain continued to attack his chest. It felt as if something were clawing inside there. He quickly tried to cover his mouth as further choking coughs tore through his throat.

Crimson painted Dick’s hand. There were multiple cries of his name and one, “ _Little brother!_ ” before his weight completely gave out. He collapsed to the floor, with Slade reaching out just in time to stop him from hitting the ground. Pain ravaged his chest. More blood was sprayed into his hands as he coughed viciously. Further voices filled his ears, but they were drown out by another, more prominent voice that chilled his entire soul.

It laughed harshly, drinking in Dick’s pain before he passed out completely.

ooOOOOOoo

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on October 3rd:** Chapter Eighteen: Marred Reunion – The reunion of Rose and Joey is cut short due to the unknown ailment that is harming Dick. As the attacks worsen, Joey brings up a very dangerous point: Dick could be a target. At that thought, Slade is concerned about an intruder at the Tower and demands that the rest of the Titans take refuge in his home until the threat can be contained – much to the displeasure of the eldest Titan.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Aha, yes, that update date isn't wrong. So, something has come up for the month of September in my life. Nothing crazy, nothing big, and nothing bad. Just something has come up that makes it so I can’t do any writing on Into the Depths for a month. I really hate to do this (especially on a cliffhanger), but sometimes things do pop up. So, I won’t be able to update for a month, not until October. I’m truly sorry about this. I really hate leaving it like this, but I have to. When I post next in October, I’ll let you know what the schedule will. At this time, I can’t promise it’ll return to its normal posting. So, we’ll have to see what happens. 
> 
> One thing you don’t have to worry about is that Into the Depths will be finished. That much I can promise – I won’t stop writing this story. :) 
> 
> I just want to say thank you all so much for reading, for leaving kudos, for commenting, for bookmarking – for everything. I hope you all do enjoy this story just as much as I enjoy writing. I shall see you all in a month and hopefully everything will be just excellent. ^-^ Thank you all and I leave you lots of love!
> 
> _Anthy_


	18. Marred Reunion

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Marred Reunion**

 

**May 24th, 2009. Sunday, 11:29 pm.**

Watching someone cough up blood wasn’t exactly the most frightening of things, but it certainly was unnerving. Slade wasn’t one of the squeamish types, obviously. He’d been through Vietnam and that was the worst place Slade had ever experienced. Blood wasn’t a new thing. He’d seen blood. He’d seen men bleed on the battlefield – he’d even seen children bleed during the war.

It was old news.

But watching his youngest son do such a thing was enough to still even the most stoic of hearts. Having Dick fall into his arms and cough up blood while being unconscious through it all was the most disturbing and frightening thing Slade had experienced in many years. It was downright _scary_ listening to the sounds that the boy made while choking and coughing.

It was right next to seeing the remains of his first born and watching someone carve a knife into his second born’s neck.

Chaos was in the surrounding area. It was in the air. It was in the sounds. There were other frantic cries in the midst of the chaos, but Slade took little notice of it all. His mind was only on what needed to be done for Dick. He quickly scooped the boy up in his arms, noting with disturbance how light he was – it felt more abnormally so than before. Dick was fifteen years old, yet he was extremely wiry and thin. No wonder Wintergreen insisted the boy eat more. Despite being so formidable in a fight, at that moment, Slade was all too aware of just how fragile Dick was.

And it took every strength inside Slade’s heart to not be terrified at that thought.

In just a few strides, Slade had walked the path of the hallway, only vaguely aware that the other three were following after him. He pushed open the door to the boy’s bedroom with his foot and had made it to the bed, when Dick let out a scream.

The chaos only seemed to increase.

Slade had heard Dick scream before. There had been a few nightmares that had sent a scream into the night. Slade had also heard the boy cry out in pain. Slade was very familiar with the various sounds the boy could make, whether in pain, in tears, in laughter, in giggles – the times they had spent had been many.

But _never_ had Slade heard such a scream from Dick at that very moment. It truly curdled the blood and turned the heart by its sound. In his arms, Dick arched his back, his face clenched up, and the scream intensified. It was so loud – _so frightening_ – that Slade thought the boy was tearing his throat.

Slade quickly laid Dick onto the bed, but this seemed to only make things worse. He began to thrash wildly, the screams piercing beyond anything that had been heard before. It continued to get worse. In the wild thrashing, Dick began clawing at his chest, trying to tear apart his shirt; as if something were eating at his heart.

It was happening so quickly. The situation had gone from bad to _worse_ in a matter of seconds. It was both surreal and disturbing. Having never seen this, not even during his days in Vietnam, the feeling of being helpless was ever so apparent through Slade’s veins.

Then, Dick started clawing at his face.

Joey snapped into action and rushed to the bedside, leaping onto Dick in the process. He clamped down on the boy’s wrists and halted further scratching. Small beads of blood slipped down Dick’s cheek where his nails had broken skin, creating trails of the liquid along his face. His body still thrashed beneath Joey as the young man straddled him. It was alarming to see the strength Dick possessed in his delirium.

 _“Dad! Do something!”_ snapped Joey, his voice sounding strained underneath his efforts to restrain Dick.

Slade quickly knelt down by the bed and grabbed one of Dick’s hands, releasing it from Joey. Slade could feel the power in the arm as it tried to fight against his hold, but he maintained his grip. His large hand interlaced with Dick’s smaller one. That young hand held on so tightly that if it had been anyone else, it would have left bruises.

It was like dealing with a rabid, wild animal. But it was his son. It wasn’t an animal. It was supposed to be a boy – a special, gentle, happy child. Slade couldn’t see the boy that he had grown to love as a blood son. He placed his other hand on top of Dick’s forehead and tried to calm the boy. But it wasn’t working.

Another scream amplified the tension even further in the room. Sweat was pouring off Dick as he continued to scream underneath some kind of attack. Then, without warning, his body turned over and his head leaned over the bed. Slade barely had time to back away as the boy began to vomit over the bed’s edge.

Blood stained the carpet.

“Will!” cried Slade, his heart falling at the sight. “Get that suitcase of mine. You know where it is.”

Wintergreen left immediately. Rose stood by the doorway, her eyes glistening with tears. Her arms were wrapped around her chest, the fear and helplessness displayed in her features. Slade had to tear his glance away from her, feeling the same things as she were. It was painful listening to Dick’s choking and his screams.

For a moment, there was a few seconds of rest from Dick after he finished throwing up. He was suddenly so _still_. Alarm shot through Slade. He sat down on the bed, avoiding the sick on the floor, and put fingers to the boy’s pulse. The pure panic and terror had flooded through Slade; one that had the very power to stop his heart.

_Please, don’t let it be too late._

Then, the relief rose again in an overwhelming wave. Dick’s pulse was still there, erratic as it was, but still pumping. That was all Slade needed to know.

But Dick was extremely still, even now. There was very little breathing, his chest barely rising up and down with each breath. Slade put a hand on the boy’s back and started rubbing it. He could feel the frail struggle that Dick was going through as he weakly breathed.

“ _Dad…_ ”

A soft voice croaked out in the silence. No matter how weak it sounded, it was a beautiful thing to hear. Slade carefully turned Dick onto his back. The boy’s eyes were drooped in exhaustion. For a moment, he struggled to lift a hand, but Slade quickly grasped it. His other hand cradled the boy’s cheek.

“ _Shh_ ,” whispered Slade. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

“Dad… He’s… _He’s trying to_ …”

Those exhausted eyes that were still startlingly crystal blue through the pain suddenly lost all color, becoming grey in its entirety. Dick’s face scrunched up in pain once again, his body going tense.

Then, new screams filled the air. They were cracking and dying out; the voice being torn and overused. The strength the boy had possessed before was greatly weakened, but he still struggled. His hand ripped out of Joey’s slackened grip and tried to tear at his throat.

Once again, Slade and Joey went to the task of trying to restrain any flailing and destructive limbs. All the while, Slade attempted to bring comfort to Dick. He knew the boy was there and could feel him. It was all Slade could do but run his free hand through the boy’s sweaty bangs and whisper encouragement.

But Dick seemed unresponsive to Slade’s touch.

It was in a few moments that Wintergreen finally arrived with the suitcase. Every movement Slade did next was quick and swift. He took the suitcase and opened it. Inside were a number of syringes with different kinds of formulas. Slade grabbed one and prepared it, barely taking a second glance at its label.

As soon as he was done, he stuck it into Dick’s arm. Once finished, Slade set the used syringe onto the desk and sat back down onto the bed next to Dick. The boy was still weakly fighting against whatever was going on with him. Slade could only hope that the serum would heal whatever was hurting him. Already, he could see the faint cuts – the ones that Dick had made when scratching his face – healing and closing up.

Well, it was a beginning.

However, something strange happened.

The exhaustion and weakness that had fallen over Dick immediately disappeared. Dick’s screaming intensified once again, his flailing becoming stronger than it had in the beginning. Slade had to kneel on the bed to restrain Dick’s upper body. The boy’s screams were no longer scratchy from overuse, but pure once more in their power and volume.

Slade’s mind was trying to figure out what was going on. The serum had obviously healed the boy, but it also increased his strength in the attack. Whatever was going on with him couldn’t be healed with the serum. There was an outside source.

Something _else_ was actually _attacking_ him.

“Will, give him a sedative!” shouted Slade. Just as he said this, he felt Wintergreen come to the bedside near him. A moment later, as Slade and Joey continued their fight against the struggling boy, Wintergreen plunged another syringe into Dick’s neck.

Wintergreen pulled away. For a few moments, there was still some struggling. Then, the sedative began to work. Dick’s limbs slowly weakened. Slade relieved the pressure he had been applying to the boy’s upper body. That grey color which had overpowered Dick’s eyes faded away, leaving exhausted crystal blue behind. Their gaze locked with grey blue. A hand lifted slightly, reaching for Slade. Hands connected; fingers interlaced.

“ _Dad…_ ”

Slade felt his breath leave his chest once those fingers and that hand went slack in his own. The room went completely silent, only the gentle, peaceful sounds of Dick’s breathing lifting into the air; those eyes closed. Slade couldn’t move. He was rooted to the spot, as if that small hand had the utmost of power to keep him there.

“What on earth… just happened?” whispered Slade, still unable to withdraw his hand. Joey let out a tired huff of air, a mixture of relief and exhaustion prevalent, before he rolled off the sleeping boy. There was a grim expression filling his features as he stared down at the bed. Wintergreen was trying to consol Rose, who was now crying in his arms.

It took a very long moment for Slade to regain himself.

Well, this wasn’t exactly how Slade wanted his reunion with his children to be. And he certainly didn’t want Dick to _ever_ go through something like this again, nor did he fault the poor child. Slade gazed down on his son, the one that had slipped into his heart so easily.

Beads of crimson were still trailing down those pale cheeks in the places where Dick had scratched and clawed at his face. The skin had healed, however. The boy’s brow was furrowed, but his breathing was perfectly calm – nothing about his peaceful demeanor whispering of the frightening episode that had just occurred.

What was going on?

“Come, Sarah Rose,” said Wintergreen, patting the distraught girl on the back. The old man sounded extremely shaken. “Come to the kitchen and rest a bit.”

Slade watched as the old man drew Rose away. She didn’t fight him, didn’t even yell at him for calling her by her full name – as she always had as a child. She just went. Slade wanted to reach out to her, but he found that he couldn’t even speak. Whatever was going on was _frightening_ , there was no doubt about that. He felt frozen in pure shock.

What was he going to do? Sure, he had the boy sedated, but what would happen when he woke up? Would Dick relapse into this again? Was he cured from whatever was going on with him? The serum seemed to only give Dick strength.

Slade collapsed into the desk chair, his hand separating from the limp one that once held life in it. He dropped his face into his hands, his elbows supported by his knees. Never had he imagined this kind of fear inside his chest. He only felt it once before. He hadn’t watched Grant die; thus, he had felt despair and sorrow by his death.

When Joey – gentle, bright eyed, soft, little eleven year old Joey – had been captured, Slade had felt this same paralyzing fear. But he had been arrogant before and had tossed that feeling aside. By doing so, he had cost his son his beautiful voice.

Was he going to fail again?

 _“Dad?”_ said Joey softly. A hand rested on Slade’s shoulder. He didn’t look up.

“I’m sorry, Joey,” whispered Slade. “This is a bit of a rotten way to welcome you two here. Knowing Dick, he’ll probably beat himself up over it.”

 _“Dad, listen to me,”_ said Joey, and his tone took on a gentle chiding nature. _“It’s just fine. I don’t begrudge anything. I want to help in any way I can since Dick is sick.  He’s a sweet kid and both Rose and I agree that he’s the best addition our family has ever had.”_

Surprised by this, Slade looked up at Joey. There was such a kind expression on the young man’s face.

 _“I know that we’ve been separated for all these years, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try again. It’s more than obvious that he’s changed you. Oh, don’t give me that look, Dad.”_ Joey gave him a wry smile when Slade opened his mouth to say something. _“You’re a different man now. I want to get to know that man. Accepting Dick as my brother is just the first step.”_

“Just like that?” said Slade, the disbelief in his voice. “You don’t even know the boy.”

_“All I know is that he changed you. That’s more than enough for me. He’s giving me the chance to reconnect with my father. I want that. I’ve always wanted that no matter how it came about.”_

Emotion overwhelmed Slade. He turned his head away, feeling a weight and burden like no other before. Life had gone so wrong before. For awhile, it seemed that it was finally turning around. But now that glimmer of light and hope was being marred by whatever was going on with Dick.

A low sigh escaped Slade’s lips. He glanced at the syringe on the table, the one he had first used, and picked it up. He stared down at it and fingered the glass. One finger slid over the label and the words connected with his mind.

Slade’s heart stilled at the label; his mouth going dry.

_“Dad, what’s wrong?”_

It took a moment for Slade to do anything. Then, he placed the syringe back onto the desk. He stood up and, avoiding the blood on the floor, sat down on the edge of the bed. He tested Dick’s temperature for a moment, his hand on the boy’s forehead. It was a bit damp from the perspiration, but it wasn’t overly warm. Then, he tested the boy’s pulse. It was slow and peaceful, not anything like its erratic pace earlier. His breathing was also perfectly normal.

The boy was okay.

“Do you have any ideas as to what attacked Dick?” asked Slade, glancing over at Joey. The young man looked unsure for a moment, obviously noticing Slade’s turn of subject. But Slade wasn’t going to mention his concerns about the label. “The only idea I have is from the nightmares that he’s been experiencing for weeks.”

_“Nightmares?”_

Slade then divulged the entire story to his son. He spoke about all the nightmares that Dick had been experiencing. While Slade was hesitant to reveal the darkest part of his dream, knowing Dick would be horrified that he had done so, Slade told Joey anyway. All he cared about was trying to figure what was wrong with the boy. He did, however, leave out the section that Dick had lied about it. There was no need to relate transgressions.

During the entire time, Slade carded his fingers through the black bangs above Dick’s brow. It was automatic. After Slade spoke of everything, finding it extremely easy to speak to Joey, he went quiet.

“Do you have any thoughts about this?” asked Slade, staring at the sleeping form in front. Joey was silent for a few moments. It was obviously a lot to take in. Slade could only wonder if this would’ve happened if he’d known sooner. Could he have prevented this if Dick had told him the truth from the beginning?

But even then, Slade didn’t see the true danger of what was going on until now. Those dreams weren’t normal. It was like he had been possessed. That thought alone chilled Slade’s heart. What could be done about possession?

_“Well, recurring dreams deal with things in the subconscious. However, they can also be a premonition of things to come.”_

“Dick doesn’t have powers, though.”

 _“It doesn’t have to be inborn power,”_ said Joey, as he sat down on the desk chair. _“I could feel it from the first time I saw him and talked with him. Dick is very special. There’s something about him that can soften the heart. He did in a matter of minutes what I could not for years – he changed Rose’s heart and pulled her back to reality.”_

It was true. There truly was something special and amazing about this boy. Could anyone else have done what he had?

 _“There is one other possibility,”_ said Joey, sounding hesitant. There was a moment before he continued. _“Sometimes, those with such a gift are targeted, since they are a threat.”_

Slade stilled, feeling an icy wave flooded over his body. _Targeted?_ That made sense. In fact, that made _complete_ sense. Someone or something had been targeting Dick for weeks. The constant nightmares, the horrible twin like creature that taunted his thoughts – it wasn’t normal. Dick’s nightmares were _not_ normal.

Whoever was doing this had a lot of power. This person could project dreams, could awaken innate fears, could create a dark side to one’s self, and could even attack the inside. Something was harming Dick from the inside, causing him to cough up blood. But not only that, it seemed as if it could even possess him. Dick had been trying to fight it.

Nothing had been as disturbing as that.

“So,” began Slade, licking his lips once. “You believe Dick is being targeted.”

_“Yes.”_

Slade closed his eyes, the fear rising back up through his throat. Of course. Of course, his son was a target. That meant a lot of things. What, exactly, Slade wasn’t fully sure. Was this person targeting Dick because he was Robin? Or was this person trying to get to Deathstroke, just as Slade’s previous failure had lied.

Would there ever come a time for peace? Would Slade always have to fear that someone would harm his family because of his previous choices? Why hadn’t this someone targeted Joey and Rose? Why only Dick? Was it just Robin? Perhaps the roots went ever further back and Dick was being targeted because of Batman.

Whatever it was, the danger was more than apparent.

More information was needed, Slade decided. He was greatly thankful for Joey’s insight. It was almost a miracle that the young man had come early, for if he hadn’t, Slade might not have known what exactly was going on. Or in the very least, obtained some of the comfort that had come from Joey’s thoughts.

To gain more information, however, there was only one place to go. He would have to speak with a Titan. Something had happened tonight, that much Slade was sure of – Dick had entered the kitchen looking like death had warmed over him. He had been very tight lipped about something as well.

“I need to make a call,” said Slade. “I think the Titans might have some more answers.”

_“Okay, then. That’s probably a good idea.”_

“Will you stay?” asked Slade, his voice low; his eye on the child in bed. “I hate to ask this of you, seeing as you should be relaxing and enjoying yourself, but—”

 _“Dad, I was never expecting everything to be picture perfect,”_ said Joey, his green eyes soft. _“I actually thought things would be more awkward between us, but I’m glad it’s not. I’ll be happy to stay with Dick. I’ll let you know if anything happens.”_

Slade nodded, overcome. His son had grown into a good man. He had nothing to do with that. He wished he could’ve been a better influence, even just _an_ influence in his son’s life. It seemed that Joey hadn’t really needed him – he had grown so well.

It made Slade question whether or not Dick would be better off without him. It was brief, however, as memories rose inside his mind. Each one included Dick’s smile whenever they were together. Dick sought for Slade all the time. The boy enjoyed the quiet moments so much. He wasn’t a little child, yet he had asked for longer time to be together.

And every time Dick did that, Slade couldn’t deny the boy the affection he so needed and desired.

It was humbling.

Before Slade could continue the self deprecating thoughts, there was a gentle rap on his forehead. It nearly startled Slade to see that it had been Joey who had flicked two fingers on his forehead.

_“You underestimate your worth as a person, Dad.”_

Slade blinked, utterly shocked. Joey’s shoulders lifted somewhat as a sheepish expression crossed his features. He looked almost apologetic, but there was still a serious light in his eyes.

_“My abilities can hear thoughts. It’s how you can hear me speak without a voice, except I project my thoughts outward. Yours were projecting quite loudly. I wasn’t trying to hear them, just so you know.”_

It took a moment for Slade to remember to breathe. He hadn’t imagined his son to be like this. Little Joey hadn’t been like this at all. He’d been an insecure little boy, who fell beneath the shadow of his older, more outgoing brother. He had been overly sensitive, but a gentle soul. This man that was standing before Slade was someone far different.

This Joey bore a strength within his stance. He had confidence and assurance that hadn’t been there before.

And it seemed that Slade was becoming an easy read.

 _“A little warning,”_ said Joey, a smile tugging at his lips. _“Rose might be slightly unhinged. I say that in the most kindest way – just don’t tell her I’m saying this. I spent years trying to protect her. She got into a lot of trouble. Before Dick helped her, she was always taking risks and pushing people away. She always seemed older. Now… Well, it’s like she flips from a seven year old to a sixteen year old.”_

Slade took a deep breath, trying to rid himself of the whirling emotions that were playing through his chest. He stood up and placed a hand onto Joey’s shoulder. A pained expression began to cross the young man’s face.

 _“I tried to protect her, Dad,”_ continued Joey, the pain entering his tone. _“I tried to be the man of the house when you were… When you weren’t able to be around. I did what I could. I tried to be strong, really I did.”_

The hand on that shoulder squeezed softly.

“And you’ve done… _exceptionally_ well.”

There was a soft exhale of breath, but no sounds came from the damaged vocal cords. What was not seen as the man turned away from his son was the deep relief that passed over the young man’s face at that statement. As Slade left the room, Joey took his place at the bedside. There was a smile on the young man’s face as he gently attended to the blood on Dick’s face.

Slade went to his room with one goal. Within moments, his computer was on and the large screen was calling Titans Tower. He waited the painful seconds for someone to pick up. Personally, he hoped the alien girl answered. She was usually the easiest to talk with and she always gave up information without a fight.

Slade wasn’t in the mood.

As luck would have it, the very Titan Slade would’ve picked last out of all them chose to answer the call.

“What do you want, Slade?” said Cyborg, all respect for adults out the door, obviously, in the teen’s tone.

“ _What. Happened?_ ” demanded Slade, emphasizing each word with a low hiss. He maintained a glare at the teen, who almost squirmed underneath. Then, the teen returned the favor with a glare of his own.

“What the heck do you want? Why are you even calling us? Starfire said she brought Robin home, so why don’t you—”

“Shut up,” snapped Slade. The boy’s human eye flared in anger, while his mouth clamped down. “Dick came home, pale as a ghost, and coughing up _blood_. _What. Happened?_ ”

This did have some effect on Cyborg. His human eyes widened in surprise. He _did_ look concerned about his friend. But the male ego had a lot of pride – Slade was well versed in this, after all – and that was exactly what showed in the boy’s next expression.

“Well, he was fine when he left here, so it must be _your_ fault,” said Cyborg, the hateful tone in his voice.

Slade wasn’t having it.

He slammed his hands down onto the desk, making Cyborg flinch back in surprise. Slade pointed a finger at him, the fear and fury rising high inside his chest.

“I know your identity, Mr. Victor Stone,” said Slade in a terribly dark tone, one that would’ve reminded anyone within its vicinity of Slade’s old potential. Cyborg’s expression darkened at this. “I can play dirty, brat. I have absolutely _no_ qualms about it, despite what Dick believes. If you don’t explain things, _you will regret it_. There will be consequences, unpleasant ones at that. This is ridiculous that I have to resort to such things right now. My son – _yes, my son, blast it!_ – is sick; _deathly_ sick. I’m willing to chock this up to teenage stupidity, but if it’s not—” Slade’s tone dropped to an even darker one. “—then, I’m going to be _very angry_. Now, _explain_ yourself! _What happened?_ ”

While this didn’t quell the anger that was ever so prevalent in the teen’s face, it did soften him somewhat. Cyborg sighed and nodded, albeit grudgingly. He sent one final glare at Slade, before he proceeded to tell him everything that had gone on at the Tower that night. Slade was silent during the entire time, letting the boy speak. As he heard about the events, he felt sick. No wonder Dick had come home with that tired expression on his face. He’d been through so much.

It also showed Slade just how much Dick was willing to sacrifice. He held everything back, not wanting to ruin the moment that Slade was having with his other children. Once they got through this, Slade was going to have to talk with Dick about being open about everything. Hadn’t they been through this already?

But then again, the boy had been sick. Slade couldn’t be angry at the him. The truth was he felt furious with himself for not protecting Dick. Some father he was. How hard was it to protect one fifteen year old boy – notwithstanding how much trouble that boy attracted.

“Is that it?” asked Slade, once Cyborg had finished with tell him about Dick fainting at the end. From the events, Slade was able to decipher a few things. It seemed that Dick wasn’t the only target. And, of course, Slade had been right about that girl from the beginning, but would anyone listen to him? Of course, not.

However, it still didn’t explain why Dick was coughing up blood.

“Well… Before the attack, Robin mentioned something about a dark feeling. But the rest of us didn’t feel it.”

Those words slowly registered with Slade – Dick had felt something in the Tower. The attacker had made itself known before attacking. Either Dick was beginning to show signs of having special powers or he really was that sensitive to such things. But it all led to one conclusion.

The attacker was still in the Tower.

“Why was Dick coughing up blood?” asked Slade, taking each breath slowly. There was an attacker in the Tower. Someone deadly was attacking these children.

“I don’t know. Only Starfire saw him do that, but it could’ve been from fighting Terra.”

There was no way a simple blow to the chest with a rock could’ve caused what had occurred not moments before. These children didn’t understand. They didn’t get it. Someone with a lot of power was attacking them with the intention of _great_ harm. Dick would never forgive Slade if he allowed anything to happen to his friends.

“Listen to me very carefully,” said Slade, speaking each word slowly; making sure he held Cyborg’s attention. “You are to get out of the Tower _immediately_.”

“What? We’re not—”

“This isn’t up for debate,” said Slade with a growl. He hated this boy’s obstinacy. There was no time for this. “Whatever attacked you is still there. _Get out_. Come here. Will can set up the family room for you all. Bring whatever you want and need to entertain yourselves – Dick is still sick.”

“You can’t—”

“Watch me,” snapped Slade with a snarl. “This is an _order_. Don’t make me come and drag you here – it will not be a pleasant experience. Bring enough supplies for a few days, you’ll not be returning for awhile. This includes clothes, toys—” The older teen’s expression at this was downright comical, but Slade wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it. “—and anything else to occupy yourselves. Don’t bother about food. If Dick felt something, then it’s probable that the enemy is still in the Tower.”

“Look, we don’t need you,” said Cyborg, glaring at him. “We’re the Teen Titans, we can handle this. We’ll find the enemy.”

“ _This isn’t a game!_ ” shouted Slade, slamming a hand onto the desk once again. “This enemy is dangerous. Whatever the enemy is, know that Dick was coughing up blood and screaming in pain. He would never forgive himself – or me, for that matter – if I allowed you to stay in a potentially dangerous location. You have ten minutes to get yourselves over here or you will face my consequences. Do it for Dick.”

Slade didn’t give the boy a chance to argue any more. He shut off the communication. It would’ve been a great, smug moment to gloat about, seeing the outraged and indignant expression that had crossed the annoying teen’s face when the communication went down, but Slade’s mind was on something more important.

Maybe later he would enjoy it, but now was not the time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time October 31st:** Chapter Nineteen: Guests in the Haunt – With the Titans’ arrival, the tension level only rises. Slade must impress upon one very stubborn Titan of the seriousness of the situation, while the others still bear the weight on their hearts of what had happened not hours before. Through the tension, however, there is time for kindness as comfort is extended to various members of the team.


	19. Guests in the Haunt

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Guests in the Haunt**

 

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 12:17 am.**

As Slade exited his room, he double checked on Dick. He didn’t enter the room, nor did he open the ajar door any further. He saw Joey sitting in the desk chair next to the bed. The young man was watching Dick as he slept peacefully. Occasionally, Joey would brush the boy’s bangs from his eyes.

Slade turned away, overwhelmingly thankful for his son’s return into his life.  He was grateful for the extra pair of eyes to watch over Dick. It wasn’t exactly good timing, considering everything, but it was almost a miracle that they were here. Slade knew that they were going to need all the help they could get while trying to figure out what was wrong.

And who was targeting Dick in the first place.

Slade slowly walked down the hallway towards the kitchen. His mind couldn’t stop thinking about who was purposely attacking Dick. He hadn’t known anyone with this kind of power. None of the Bat villains possessed this power, so they weren’t targeting Robin. None of Slade’s own past enemies possessed this kind of power, so they weren’t targeting his family like in days of old.

Was it a Teen Titan enemy? But even then, Slade was well versed in those villains and enemies – chumps, the lot of them. Thus, this was a new one. This was a new enemy with a new purpose. To think that this enemy would go to this length was extremely worrying and frightening. Slade wasn’t sure his heart could handle this kind of parental worry. No metal, no bullet, no calamity could stop Slade’s heartbeat, but the fear for his son was paralyzing beyond any measure.

Of course, the enemy wasn’t the only problem now.

Once Slade reached the kitchen, he dropped into a chair, his face dropping into his hands. That same overwhelming feeling was washing over him once again. But now it bore a different weight, a heavier weight. His single and foolish mistake was far more puzzling than an unknown enemy. He couldn’t understand why nothing bad was happening because of this mistake. It was like there was nothing wrong.

But Slade had spent hours every day over the course of a month to create the serum that was specific to Dick’s blood. He had spent so much time making sure Dick wouldn’t have a bad reaction to it. During the time, it was to make sure that his apprentice would have something that could protect him from fatal wounds.

It didn’t make sense.

A hand touched Slade’s shoulder. It squeezed gently as the old man’s voice spoke up softly. “Slade, are you all right? What’s wrong?”

Slade didn’t look up as he let out a long sigh. “I gave him the wrong one.”

“What?”

“I didn’t give him the serum I created specifically for him.”

There was a long pause. That hand tightened for a moment.

“What did you give him?”

“The pure version.”

Slade could hear the audible, sharp inhale. The hand withdrew just as Slade looked up at the old man. Wintergreen looked positively stricken with fear and worry. He clasped his hands together, before they slipped into a prayer motion – which he then lifted his hands to his face, covering his mouth – before, finally, his fingers intertwined as he stared at Slade with wide, fear filled eyes.

“Slade, I hope you’re trying to add humor into this trying night,” said Wintergreen, his voice somewhat breathless and muffled by his hands. “But I do wish you would refrain from doing so, because this old heart of mine can’t handle it.”

“I’m not joking.”

The panic was absolute. Wintergreen’s hands covered his face as he lifted his head into the air. Slade managed to catch, “ _Please, not the child._ ” Then, there was further whispering from the old man and Slade became uncomfortable for a moment when he realized that Wintergreen had uttered a small prayer, one filled with pleading.

“Will, he’s all right,” said Slade quietly. “I don’t know why, but he’s just fine.”

Those aged eyes appeared from behind wrinkled hands. Relief flooded within their color, but then confusion entered as well. Wintergreen shakily took a seat in a kitchen chair near Slade and leaned his elbows onto the table, his hands covering half his face once again. An expectant expression filled the old man’s features.

“I don’t know why,” said Slade, shaking his head and keeping his voice quiet. “I would’ve thought my blood injected into any body would’ve caused complications, even death. It was just my blood, too – nothing else. It was the most potent injection I could’ve given to anyone and Dick is _perfectly_ fine. He was healed immediately and his strength rose to a height that his specific serum didn’t reach. I don’t understand.”

Wintergreen studied Slade as he listened to him. The old man took a deep, calming breath, before he stood up. Within a minute, he had taken out two mugs and had filled them with steaming coffee. After which, he came to the table with the mugs in hand and gave one to Slade. The old man sat down and took a long, slow sip; closing his eyes briefly, before setting them back onto Slade.

“Slade, I think you need to work on your delivery on unexpected news,” said Wintergreen, a tired, yet amused look in his features. “I do believe you took off ten years of my lifespan with this. I hope Richard repays you in my behalf someday. Preferably about his impending marriage or birth of his first child. Better yet, both.”

Slade choked as the coffee went down the wrong pipe. He had to set his mug down onto the table as he coughed and spluttered magnificently. “ _What?!_ ” he finally managed to breathe out, his voice croaky. Wintergreen only lifted his mug to his lips again and sipped, his hazel green eyes twinkling with great amusement.

Wisely, Slade kept his mouth shut, once he regained himself. There was no way he wanted to think about Dick getting married one day. That would mean his son had grown up. Slade barely even knew much about Joey and he couldn’t handle hearing about Joey getting married – and the young man was of that age. Though, twenty was a bit young for Slade’s taste.

Thirty-five. That was such a brilliant number, wasn’t it?

Probably wouldn’t fly with any of his children, however.

Slade suddenly felt extremely _old_ , even despite his endless age. He hated knowing that he had such limited time with his children. Even with the great blessing of having Joey and Rose return to him, he couldn’t help but feel saddened by the wasted years.

Now with the worry about Dick being targeted and perhaps even being affected by the wrong injection, Slade felt burdened and tired. It was like every choice he made seemed to bring some horrible thing upon his family. What if something bad happened to Dick because of his mistake? That child was constantly being affected poorly by _his_ choices. Were the good ones enough to outweigh the bad?

How could he be so arrogant to think that he had any effect on the child? Dick was just a boy. He was too young to truly understand someone’s worth, wasn’t he? He might say that Slade was a good thing in his life, but was it even true?

And the thing Slade _hated_ the most was all the second thoughts that ran through his mind now. He never questioned himself, he never reevaluated his actions – he _never_ thought of what he should’ve done better. That is, before Dick entered his life, anyway. That boy surely changed everything, didn’t he?

_But what if…_

Slade leaned against the table and hid his face in his hand. He kneaded his eye with his fingers, his thumb tracing over the black eye patch.

He couldn’t lose Dick, too. That boy _could not_ die. Another son of his could not die.

But Slade knew. He wasn’t born yesterday. He knew the danger well. If he didn’t figure out what was wrong quickly, Dick could die. Slade would lose him. Slade would watch his youngest die, after watching his eldest die.

_And just like the first, it would be Slade’s fault._

Slade was broken from his thoughts as Rose came into the kitchen. He pulled away from the table and turned his attention onto her. He felt bad instantly. Her eyes were red and her whole expression was filled with the intense worry that they all felt.

“Are you all right, Sarah Rose?” asked Wintergreen, looking at her. “Oh, you poor thing, did you throw up, dear?”

Rose shook her head. She sounded tired as she answered. “No. I’m fine.” Then, her expression darkened. “And it’s _Rose_.”

“The name on your birth certificate is Sarah Rose and that’s what I’m calling you.”

“Your name is William Randolph Wintergreen, but you go by Will,” retorted Rose, her eyes narrowing. “ _Call me Rose_.”

“It’s not your full name.”

Slade couldn’t believe that this was the conversation topic at the moment. However, he was almost thankful for it.

“All right, William Randolph,” said Rose haughtily. Wintergreen’s eyebrow twitched. It wasn’t missed by Rose. “Well, it _is_ your full name, isn’t it? Or would you prefer to go by _old man?_ ”

Rose folded her arms and gave the old man the most obstinate stare down Slade had ever seen. He hadn’t even seen such a look on Dick’s face, even during his most defiant times. He fleetingly wondered if he should intervene, but he felt uncomfortable trying to parent a child that he hadn’t been in the life of – not to mention she was Rose, the little girl Slade had _always_ had trouble with.

Where was Addie when you needed her?

Wintergreen matched the stare down when an air of impassiveness that rivaled Slade at his best. Then, the old man stood up and went to the stovetop. He motioned to the table.

“Would care for a cup of hot chocolate… _Rose?_ ”

The girl sat down into a chair at the table with a triumphant smile on her face. “Yes, but make it coffee, please.”

There was a noncommittal sound from the old man. A few moments later, as Wintergreen placed a mug in front of her, he caught the incredulous look that was adorning Slade’s face by this. The old man gave him a wise smile.

“Learn something from this, Slade,” said Wintergreen, verging on the sound of a wise father speaking to his son. Slade didn’t have time to feel irritated by that tone. Then, the old man winked. “Pick your battles.”

Slade was still trying to work out the revelation in his mind. He couldn’t win against Wintergreen; Dick couldn’t win against Wintergreen – that put them on the same playing ground. Well, at least with the old man; Slade still overrode Dick, since he was the father.

But the old man couldn’t win against Rose…

Which reiterated the fact that Slade couldn’t win against her…

_Oh, Heaven help them all._

“Hey, this isn’t coffee,” said Rose, pulling back from the mug with a wrinkled nose. “ _Blegh_. I hate chocolate.”

“I know, dear,” said Wintergreen.

“But—”

“You’re much too young for coffee, Rose. Drink your hot chocolate.”

Well, all seemed right with the world as Slade watched the grimacing reaction from Rose while she drank the hot chocolate. She didn’t argue with the old man, though. A few moments passed, before Slade knew that he had to move on. He couldn’t sit here at the table all night long.

There was work to be done.

“Will, the rest of the Titans are coming to stay indefinitely,” said Slade, taking a deep breath. Wintergreen looked surprised by this for a moment. “At least until I can figure out what’s going on with Dick. Could you prepare the family room for them?”

Wintergreen pointedly ignored the further grimacing noises that Rose was making – they were getting louder now – and nodded to Slade.

“Of course. I’ll get started on that right away. When are they coming?”

“Better be in a few minutes,” said Slade, his mood darkening. He wasn’t looking forward to that. “I want them out of that Tower _tonight_.”

“Visitors!” said Wintergreen with an excited cry. “We have a full house tonight. This evening surely is an eventful night.”

The old man looked perfectly thrilled to have four teenagers within the confines of their home – no matter that one of them definitely didn’t like Slade. Wintergreen was gone and down the basement stairs a moment later, his steps light as he descended to the bottom floor.

Slade pressed a hand to his forehead. To him, it felt like the calm before the storm. There was something inside his chest that was telling him that this wasn’t over. Dick was sleeping peacefully, yes. But that didn’t mean he would be all right when he woke up.

They weren’t out of the danger zone yet.

Once everyone became settled, Slade was going to investigate the Tower. Whoever was attacking his son was going to pay. He would find this enemy and put a bullet through his head. As much as he didn’t want to do that behind Dick’s back, he thought it best. This enemy meant business. This wasn’t just a stupid Titan enemy. This one was a life and death situation – like the Joker was to Batman. Well, this enemy picked the wrong family to mess with – Slade was the Boy Wonder’s father.

Oh, yeah, that was the perfect tabloid.

“Rose,” started Slade, frowning slightly as yet _another_ thought crossed his mind. The girl looked at him. “Does… your mother know you’re here?”

Those grey blue eyes lifted upward, before they flickered to the side. Finally, they rested back onto Slade and he felt extremely uneasy now. He knew the answer and it certainly wasn’t a good one. He sighed. If Adeline didn’t know they were here, she was going to hit the roof when she did fine out.

“Not exactly,” said Rose, smiling guiltily. “Joey thought it best not to tell her we were going to stay here.”

“Smart boy,” muttered Slade, sighing again. One thing after another, wasn’t it? She hadn’t taken his apology very well when he’d given it to her. He could remember it very well, as it was also the day he had decided to abandon Deathstroke. Slade knew an apology wouldn’t heal the past, but he had hoped that Adeline would soften from it.

Not at all.

Slade was still thinking on the matter when the kitchen door opened suddenly and the first Titan came into the room. Slade inclined his head to her, seeing that it was the alien girl – she was the most agreeable of the lot of them. He liked that about the girl. Soon, they piled into the room. They looked just fine and Slade found that a small lift of relief went through his system. He pushed it down – he was only relieved for Dick’s sake. His friends were fine.

“Good evening, Slade,” said Starfire with a nod of her head. Beast Boy gave him a tentative lift of his mouth. Raven merely nodded once, her eyes avoiding his gaze, while Cyborg let out an annoyed huff.

It was almost insane that Slade was on amiable speaking terms with the Titans – minus one, of course. It felt a bit strange, but Slade was chocking it all up to being a _very_ off night.

“Hey!” cried Beast Boy, catching sight of Rose at the table. She gave them a light smile of acknowledgment. “What’s _she_ doing here?”

“Oh, look, it’s the Titans,” said Rose, her tone drawling in such a way that it matched her father. “Did you burst through the front door? Too bad there aren’t any windows to blast through, huh?”

“You _are_ her!”

“Brilliant deduction on my gender, there.”

“ _Hey!_ ”

“We didn’t burst through the front door, just so you know,” snapped Cyborg, his tone clipped. “He gave us the code a long time ago. Big surprise that you’re here, Sadie. Should’ve known you were in cahoots with this man the entire time. Did you help kidnap him, too?”

Cyborg gave Slade his best glare yet – his robotic eye seeming to glow more red than normal.

“Actually, it’s Rose – Rose Wilson,” she said, raising her mug up to her lips. She took a sip and there was a visible effort on her face as she tried not to wrinkle her nose. “Sadie Roslyn was an alias.”

Beast Boy tilted his head, looking confused, while Starfire received a dawning realization on her face. She glanced from Slade to Rose, her monochromatic eyes brightening.

“You are his daughter!” cried Starfire, clapping her hands together happily. Rose inclined her head and continued to take another sip from her mug. She gagged. A moment later, she was pouring the remains of her drink into Slade’s mug. “Oh, glorious! Dick has a sister, then.”

“He’s a little Dickiebird for sure,” said Rose, her grey blue eyes twinkling mischievously. “And no, I wasn’t involved with Daddy before – I was mad at him. So, you can just chill yourself there. We just came home tonight.”

“We?” said Starfire, looking excited at the prospect of more family.

“Yeah, I bet,” said Cyborg, his tone derisive as he snorted once.

“ _You’re his daughter?!_ ”

“Enough,” breathed out Slade, feeling a headache come on. He put his fingers to his temples and began to kneed them for a moment. “Would you please sit down. We need to talk. Leave your bags in the main area.”

Slade stood from his place at the table and grabbed some of the folded chairs that Wintergreen kept by the side wall. The old man left them there all the time now, just in case Dick’s friends came over. They weren’t frequent visitors, though.

The Titans sat down and as Slade was pulling another chair out, so that he could sit down, the eldest Titan spoke up – the boy hadn’t sat down yet as the others had.

“Look, I’m not here because I want to be,” snapped Cyborg, giving Slade his best petulant glare. The other three Titans looked apologetically at Slade. An eyebrow twitched; Slade had officially reached his limit. He wasn’t about to have any of this nonsense. Slade had just spent the most agonizing ten minutes of his life attending to his son, who had been throwing up and coughing up blood. He was in _no_ mood for foolish, crabby teenage behavior.

“I,” began Slade, pausing with preciseness, “do not care about want you want,” he finished, drawing out each word slowly. The eldest teen stiffened angrily, but he was given no chance to speak, as Slade pointed at a chair. “ _Sit down_.”

Slade had to admit, he was impressed that the teen had the good mind to obey that command – though, Cyborg did complete the task with an intense amount of glaring. In fact, so much so that it would’ve amused Slade if he weren’t burdened by this whole mess. He decided that sitting down himself wasn’t going to happen.

With one deep breath, Slade set his firmest stance onto the children.

“I want to make some things a bit more clear,” said Slade, taking a deep breath through his nose. “You no longer have any say in anything at this moment. This may change—” Slade had to raise his voice as there was a sound of protest from Cyborg. “—but not until the enemy has been ascertained and taken down. You are not to leave here until I deem it safe.”

“You aren’t in charge here,” said Cyborg, folding his arms and glaring at Slade. “You can’t tell us what to do. You can’t make us do anything. You can’t stop us from crime fighting either. The people need us and Rob would want us to continue even when he’s sick.”

“I don’t care,” said Slade, trying extremely hard not to grit his teeth. He couldn’t handle stubborn brats, especially when they weren’t his son. In the very least he could’ve dealt with the bad behavior with a reprimand. That just wasn’t going to work here. “Dick is unable to voice his opinions and feelings at this moment; thus, I will make the decisions I feel best. You are _not_ to leave for _anything_.”

“You can’t keep us trapped here!” shouted Cyborg, bolting out of his seat. “This is your plan from the beginning, isn’t it?! You want us to stop helping people, you want us to be criminals, you—”

Slade slammed his hands onto the table and the group of teens flinched violently from the loud sound. A glare like no other was set upon them. Rose looked unsettled and worried, but Slade couldn’t reassure her.

“ _Do you not understand?!_ ” shouted Slade, directing his words at Cyborg. “Do you not understand what is going on here? I had to give Dick a _sedative_. He was thrashing wildly, scratching at his face – clawing, even. Whatever or whoever is targeting my son had to have been in the Tower.”

Slade jabbed a sharp finger at Cyborg, who flinched back from the motion.

“That could be _you_. It could be any of you. Any one of you could be in the same condition as Dick. Someone is targeting you and this isn’t your usual criminal. This isn’t Mad Mod! This isn’t some idiot in tights. It’s not even on _my_ level. Whoever this is has the power to cause reoccurring dreams that contain your greatest fears, can cause you to hear condemning voices, can even you give you visions, and can attack your body from the inside out.”

Slade pushed off the table and continued to glare at Cyborg, who was finally appearing as if Slade’s words were taking effect. The teen looked stricken by them and he slowly lowered back down into his chair.

“This isn’t a joke! This is serious. This is _dangerous_. Whoever this enemy is, they mean to harm, maim, perhaps even kill.”

There was a pause, before Slade dropped his tone.

“Therefore, starting from this point on, you will – _without fail_ – obey everything I tell you and upon the first request. I will not give you a second chance, if you manage to live through the first. This is about safety, nothing more and nothing less. If you disobey and you live through the fallout of such disobedience, you will wish you hadn’t, because _my_ consequence will be most severe.”

“You aren’t our father,” hissed Cyborg. “So, quit acting like you can tell us what to do. You can’t make us do anything.”

Slade leaned forward onto the table. He came to stare about a foot away from the eldest teen’s face. It was hardened and filled with anger, but Slade paid no mind to it.

“I don’t have to be your father to impress upon you the consequences of disobeying my orders,” said Slade, his voice barely above a whisper, yet it bore into every heart with an intense volume. None of the other Titans spoke through it. They merely sat rigid in their seats, their eyes wide. “You are underage and at this moment, you have no choice in the matter. If I have to, I will place my entire home under lockdown. I am _this_ serious about it.”

“I’m almost eighteen,” hissed Cyborg. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

“ _Watch me_. Legal age or not, you’re still a child,” snapped Slade. “And if you care anything at all for Dick and your other friends, then I suggest you suck up your pride and listen to reason.”

Cyborg was about to open his mouth and voice his displeasure some more, when Starfire placed a hand onto his forearm. She gave the eldest teen a pleading look.

“Please, Cyborg, let us just get some sleep. The morrow will be a better time to discuss this.”

Cyborg looked like he didn’t like this idea, but he grudgingly agreed. Once again, he was interrupted from saying anything before he could open his mouth as an older voice came through the kitchen.

“All right, Slade. You’ve frightened these poor children enough now, don’t you think?” said Wintergreen, putting his hands onto his hips as he stood at the entrance of the basement. He appeared tired, but they all were. Then, his expression softened, the concern rising there. “I’ll take care of the children. Don’t you think you should check up on Richard now?”

The anger left Slade’s face immediately. The worry was now ever prevalent in the man’s face. He nodded and left without another word. Wintergreen looked at the group. The teens glanced between themselves.

Cyborg had quite a bit of turmoil running through his veins at that moment, synthetic or not. He couldn’t believe that he had allowed himself to be bullied by Slade. The man was really obnoxious, wasn’t he? Who the heck did he think he was, anyway? How _dare_ he act like he could tell Cyborg – or any of them, for that matter – what to do! He was _Slade_. Just because he said he was ‘retired’, that didn’t mean Cyborg was going to let this man walk all over him.

And yet, he had allowed it. Why? Because, no matter what Cyborg’s feelings, the man had brought up some frightening points.

“Come along, children,” said Wintergreen, turning around and motioning them to follow him. “I set up the family room for you. If you can get your stuff? Rose, I’ll show you to your room afterward.”

The old man was helpful and kind, Cyborg could give him that much. But being around anyone who rubbed shoulders with Slade was bad news. The old man must have a screw loose in that mind of his to stick around someone like Slade. Cyborg did have to admit, the old man was very observant.

He had never seen someone who was so gentle and could get Raven to respond to it. Not like the way the old man did it. Not even Robin had that way about him.

It happened once they all came downstairs and had passed a huge basement that resembled a training room. The family room was really nice and would be suitable for them. As the old man helped them with their things, Cyborg was shocked by the way he dealt with Raven.

“It’s your birthday, isn’t it?” asked Wintergreen, coming up to Raven. She nodded, but she didn’t really respond more. There was pain in her eyes and Cyborg knew that it hadn’t been a good day. Then, the old man drew an arm around Raven, almost startling her, and pulled her against his side.

For the first time, Cyborg hadn’t seen such a shocked look on Raven’s face.

“Aw, I’m sorry, dear,” whispered Wintergreen. “But I’m sure everything will get better from here, all right? Don’t let it get to you. Richard will recover in no time.”

There was another squeeze and Raven just nodded, allowing the old man to hug her. Then, he withdrew and Cyborg caught a glimpse of gratefulness crossing Raven’s face.

He just couldn’t understand it.

“If you need anything, just let me know,” said Wintergreen. “There’s plenty of snacks for you if you get hungry in the night. Sweet dreams, children. Things will get better in the morning.”

No one said anything in response. There were only nods. The silence continued once the old man left, closing the door behind him. Beast Boy was setting up a sleeping bag in front of the TV, but his ears were drooping. The girls were setting up on the large couch – it was big enough for them to share. The silence felt awful to Cyborg. He hated it, but he didn’t know what to say.

He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want Slade thinking he could command him or any of them. He didn’t want to sit on his butt and wait for Slade to find this enemy.

Cyborg wanted to be the one to take down this enemy who thought they could hurt the Teen Titans.

“Tomorrow, we’re going out and looking for this enemy,” said Cyborg, sounding determined. “We can’t let Slade do—”

“Stop it,” said Starfire shortly, her voice soft. Her back was turned to him as she stopped draping a blanket over her section of the couch. “Just— _stop it_.”

The other Titans looked over at her, surprised by her outburst, gentle or otherwise. Cyborg’s expression soured a little bit, once he got over his shock.

“Star, look—”

“No,” said Starfire, overriding him. She whirled around, her arms hugging her chest. “Why are you doing this, Cyborg? Your comments tonight with Slade have not helped whatsoever. The situation is not good and yet your poor attitude brings nothing but discord amongst ourselves and amongst Slade’s family. This includes Dick.”

“No, it doesn’t,” said Cyborg in a strong whisper. “Robin isn’t part of that _family_ , if you want to call it that.”

“Yes, he is!” cried Starfire. “Why are you being like this? You are the only one who has not called him Dick. The rest of us have accepted Dick for who he is – why have you not accepted him? Did you not think to ask if he was well? Did you not think to ask if there was anything you could do for him? No, you only thought to fight with Slade.”

“What are you talking about?” demanded Cyborg, feeling confused by Starfire’s comments. What was she talking about? “Of course, I accept Robin. I care about him, too. But we have to stop the enemy first. I just don’t accept Slade in all this. It’s not that hard to figure out!”

“No, you have not accepted _Dick_ ,” said Starfire, her tone becoming desperate. “Robin does not exist any more, yet you keep calling him that. You keep clinging to that old person. He is not Robin any more. He is _Dick_.”

“He’s Robin, all right!” shouted Cyborg. “Just cause he’s got a real name, doesn’t mean he’s not Robin. We all got real names that we don’t use any more. But we’re still both. He’s still _Robin_.”

There was such pain inside Starfire’s eyes.

“Then, you do not understand,” whispered Starfire, her arms tightening around her chest. “You do not understand our friend and who he truly is. You do not understand what he wants or what he needs. You do not understand his heart. You do not understand what makes Dick far superior and far stronger than Robin _ever_ was.”

There was a pause, one louder than the silence which reigned.

“Or is it that… you do not care?” asked Starfire, the emotion overflowing in her whispered tone.

It felt as if Starfire had brutally slapped him across the face. Cyborg was stunned, unable to speak in his defense. He never thought he could feel this hurt by a simple sentence. He never knew Starfire could speak so seriously before, nor had he known her to speak so directly. She was never one to speak harshly. She was the one who brought harmony to the group.

Why was part of Cyborg’s heart cringing, as if she were speaking the truth?

“You know that’s a lie,” whispered Cyborg. “You know I care about Rob. He’s our friend.”

“Yes, you care about _Robin_ ,” said Starfire, her eyes filling with strength. “But he is not here any more. Dick is different than Robin. Dick is the one leading us now. He is our friend now, not Robin. Yes, you are angry with Slade; therefore, you put the blame about your feelings on the matter onto him. But the source of your discomfort lies not just with Slade, but with the soft spirit that is Dick.”

Cyborg couldn’t say anything in his defense; she had torn it down effortlessly.

“I do not understand why you would not like Dick,” continued Starfire, her voice soft, yet it seemed to pierce into the soul. “Whatever your issues are with him or Slade, you will have to work them out for yourself. As for me, I am not sure if I can handle more enmity between us all. It hurts us _all_. We cannot drift apart, not now, not after the long months we endured in fear and worrying for Dick’s life. We cannot fail now.”

Starfire turned away, her arms tightening once more around her chest briefly, before they dropped to her side; her fists clenched there.

“We cannot fail, not after all we have been through.”

Silence filled the room. Starfire didn’t wait for a response. She continued to prepare the couch for her sleeping with the blankets that had been provided for them. Cyborg looked around to the others. Beast Boy wasn’t looking at him, his thin arms wrapped around his chest in a hugging motion – similar to what Starfire had done. Raven’s hood had been pulled up and the darkness within the void hid her face completely.

There were three other people in the room, but it never felt as lonely as it did that moment.

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on November 28th:** Chapter Twenty: Sacrifices – Dick’s condition continues worsens greatly and the entire household is at their wit’s end in worry. Feeling helpless, Slade attempts to find the one who is targeting his son and, in the end, terrible choices have to be made. Weighed down heavily, Slade turns to Wintergreen and learns what it means to have faith in something – even when the future seems endlessly dark.
> 
>  **Author’s Notes:** Well, the intensely awesome news is the first draft in my original trilogy is COMPLETE! I released important data on tumblr two weeks ago and two days ago, but I’m be supplying it here as well.
> 
>  **First Draft Word Count:** 100,740
> 
>  **Chapters:** 24
> 
> It will be a series of books within this world, which will be set in trilogies – something I actually haven’t seen done before. The first trilogy is _Warped Identity_ , the first book being called _Paradigms_. I tried to write a summary, but that’ll have to come later, because it’s not coming right now. LOL. Sometimes it comes, sometimes it comes later. I’m hoping to release _Warped Identity: Paradigms_ sometime in November, but I am not promising anything. I still have much work to do, considering I need to now do an editing run – plus, design a cover. I love editing, though, so it’s the fun part for me. BUT the book will definitely be released before the end of the year. It’ll be a 2014 release! Haha.
> 
> Also, I'd mention this here, since I haven't told my Archive readers about this. The world of _Forgotten Bonds_ consists of two books currently, _Forgotten Bonds_ and _Into the Depths_. However, it will also include a third book, making it a trilogy.
> 
> So, that means you have the continuation of _Into the Depths_ and one more book to look forward to; probably just as large in length as the other two. This is set in stone in my mind, so a third book is for sure. I’ve actually foreshadowed some events for the third in this book and I will continue to do so, especially in later chapters. ;) Once the third book is complete, then I will close this series in my mind. (I don’t want to think about that right now, though. XD)
> 
> Also, I can release the title now. It’s been some time that I decided this, but the third and final book will be called _Expanding Horizons_. I actually know the plot of that book, too. It’s fun. *nods* It’s always on my mind when writing _Into the Depths_. ^^
> 
> You’re welcome to check me out at Nanowrimo and watch my word count rise during November, since I’ll be both editing the first book and writing the second book during that time. (Yeah, big month) I’m Anthezar there as well. For now, only the title to the second book in the trilogy is listed there. But once the first book is published, I’ll reveal the summary of the second book. :) 
> 
> I also made a twitter account. I haven’t actually twittered anything (I feel shy on there… LOL), but I’m there as Anthezar and will definitely use it to announce the first book’s release. I’m also on Facebook… (The shyness is worse there) Yeah, I’m personally screaming internally. XD (Heaven forbid, I’m entering the social media world. *dies*)
> 
> Still working hard, guys. This month has seriously been a MUCH better one than the last month, both in productivity and in health. (!) I’m super happy about it and extremely grateful for it. The good news is I do expect it to continue. I’m going to take another month to update again, that way my focus can continue to fully be on my original novels. But I will definitely keep you all updated on events through the social medias that I’ve stated above. :) I love you all! *gives you all a round of huggles*
> 
> I hope you have a fun, safe Halloween today!
> 
>  
> 
> _Anthy_


	20. A Single Shot

**Chapter Twenty**

**A Single Shot**

 

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 3:19 am.**

It’d been a long night.

And it still hadn’t ended for Slade.

After taking his fourth cup of coffee – bless that old man – Slade decided to make the rounds over the occupants of his home. Wintergreen had thrown in the towel, so to speak, about two hours prior. As Slade came upon Dick’s room, he could see Joey fast asleep at the bedside. The young man had leaned his arms onto the edge of the bed, only to succumb to exhaustion of the night. Thus, his head was resting on folded arms.

All the while, Dick’s sleeping countenance showed nothing of what had happened mere hours ago.

It was at that moment when Slade felt a rush of deep affection for his second eldest. He had grown into such a fine young man. There had barely been any time to reconnect after nine years. There had been a new sibling, one where a relationship hadn’t been formed too much.

And yet, it was like nothing had changed. Joey had risen to the occasion and sat by Dick’s side for hours just watching over the boy. He had done all this without complaint. Joey was heaven sent, there was no doubt in Slade’s mind – if he ever considered such things. Truly, though, the timing had been at its perfection.

They had arrived _just_ in time. Any time after would’ve put a great deal of stress on Wintergreen’s shoulders – not to mention Slade’s nerves. A day before would’ve seemed as if it were coincidence. But, no. Joey and Rose had arrived on the very night that Dick collapsed.

It was such a strange miracle.

Slade turned away and began to walk down the hallway. He needed to check on the other teenagers who had taken residence in the family room. Nothing had blown up, so that was a good thing – no mischief.

Of course, the night was young. Anything could happen.

A few minutes later, Slade had descended the stairs, had crossed the large room of the basement, and was now gently pushing open the door to the family room. He hoped the teens were asleep and if they were, he didn’t want to wake them. There were the soft sounds of breathing – each were fast asleep, _thank goodness_. After the explanation Slade received from Cyborg about what had happened, it was no wonder they were asleep. What they had experienced had certainly been wearing on the nerves.

Slade took a step into the room and inspected the sleeping teens. Raven was curled on her side, her front facing the back of the couch. Slade could see the side of her body slowly rising in her sleep. He glanced over to see Starfire sleeping upside down, her legs dangling over the back of the couch, with her long hair piling on the floor.

Slade could only raise his eyebrow at that. He’d have to talk to the girl about proper sleeping habits, because that was just a bit too extreme, even for an alien girl. Cyborg was on the floor near her beside the coffee table and hooked up to an outlet, the long, thick cord obviously charging him. He was also fast asleep, his snores light, yet vocal.

That left the youngest of the bunch. Slade glanced around, but for some reason, he wasn’t seeing the young green boy. Then, through the light snores that were coming from Cyborg, there were gentle whimpers lifting in the air. Slade looked for its source, only to find it. He knelt down to see a small green dog curled up beneath the coffee table. He had his eyes closed shut, the whimpers coming through his throat.

Slade let out a soft sigh, knowing he couldn’t leave the child in this condition – Dick wouldn’t. Quietly, he pushed the coffee table out of the way, making extremely sure not to wake the other teens. Once the small puppy was revealed, Slade scooped him up in his arms. There was a small yip at this; the boy seemed to have not noticed Slade’s presence at all. The whimpers became louder, the puppy whining noisily.

“ _Shh_ ,” whispered Slade, gently patting the back side of the puppy. “You’ll wake the others. Be quiet, child.”

The puppy obeyed, but he still gave off quiet little whimpers; the vibrations sliding into Slade’s arms. He silently walked out of the room, leaving the other three teens to their sleep. He crossed the large basement and came to the stairs, making quick, yet quiet work of them – all along, the puppy stayed in his arms and didn’t try to leave.

Once in the kitchen, Slade set the changeling onto a chair.

“Transform, if you please,” said Slade, his tone soft, but it also required obedience. Slade supposed it was a good thing that Dick was open about how he dealt with disobedience. The changeling always seemed quick to obey. Good thing no one thought to mention to any of them that Slade would never discipline any of the Titans like he did Dick.

As Beast Boy changed into his human form, there were quiet sniffles in the place of the puppy whimpers. The boy’s head was ducked, the sniffles never ending. His thin shoulders were trembling as he made the visible effort to not cry – but he wasn’t succeeding.

Tears were steadily streaming down the child’s face.

Slade sighed, feeling extremely weary. One very sick child wasn’t enough. He also had to have a distraught one as well. These children would be the death of him. It was becoming ever so clearer.

Slade rummaged in the cabinets, searching for the packets of hot chocolate. He was thankful for Wintergreen’s forethought of keeping a hot kettle on the stove at the moment. Copious amounts of coffee had already been consumed by multiple members tonight, but now some hot chocolate was in order. Sugar had that way of calming or exciting children. Slade was willing to take the fifty-fifty chance on the littlest one.

In a few moments, Slade had a mug of hot chocolate all ready, even with a few large marshmallows for good measure. He set the mug onto the table in front of the boy. When Beast Boy didn’t respond to it, Slade pushed it closer into the child’s view line.

“Drink it,” whispered Slade. “It’ll make you feel better.”

Beast Boy dragged his hand over his cheeks, roughly wiping away the tears. It was obvious that he was trying to stop crying, but he couldn’t. The crying only got harder. The boy dug the palms of his hands into his eyes and began to sob harshly.

“ _I’m sorry. I’m sorry_ ,” whispered Beast Boy through his sobs. He shook his head as his entire body shuddered beneath the weight of his tears.

Slade couldn’t help but take pity on the poor child. The moments when it became truly clear that they were all just children – especially the youngest here – were always enlightening to Slade; _and sobering_. Beast Boy was just a little boy, just like Dick was – they all were just _children_. Thirteen was just so young. To go through something like this, it was no doubt quite traumatic for them.

Slade drew his chair close to the boy and put a hand onto the child’s knee. He patted the leg there gently. There was a soft hitch of breath.

“It’s okay. It’s okay to cry.”

Beast Boy shook his head vigorously, but his body continued to shudder as he sobbed. There were efforts to stop once more, but it was in vain. There was a low chuckle.

“Tell that to Dick,” said Slade, remembering the times that Dick had been sensitive to things. “It’s okay to cry. Get it out of your system.”

But Beast Boy shook his head again. Slade wasn’t sure what the boy was meaning by it. He waited for the child to calm down. It took a few minutes, but Slade continued to pat him on the leg. He knew how much Dick depended on the gentle touch of a hand.

“Shouldn’t cry,” whispered Beast Boy, shaking his head again. “S’not okay, not allowed. But I can’t stop! _It hurts too much!_ ”

Then, those sobs started anew. Beast Boy fought against his tears, trying hard to wipe them away, but the flow was too fast for him. There was a little sob of distress at his situation, but he appeared to give up. He kept his face hidden beneath his hands.

“Who told you that?” asked Slade, keeping his tone soft. He didn’t want to frighten the child, but he was disturbed that someone would tell a child that they weren’t allowed to cry. There was another shake of the head; there was a hiccup. Slade frowned. “Listen to me… Garfield.” There was a stiffening from the boy. Slade took him by the shoulders, squeezing gently. “Whoever told you that should just shut up.”

Beast Boy pulled his face out of his hands and stared at Slade in shock. His ears were lifted upward, just as his eyes were wide.

“Everyone cries at some point in their life,” said Slade, continuing gently; greatly amused by the boy’s expressive features. “It’s not a sin. Pain comes to everyone and sometimes it helps to just cry. It doesn’t make you weak. It doesn’t make you any less of a man. It simply makes you human.”

There was a final trail of tears that slid down the boy’s cheeks. Then, there were no more. There was a searching that filled Beast Boy’s eyes, like he was trying to figure out just who Slade was. They turned questioning.

“You, too?” asked Beast Boy. There was a tender squeeze at the boy’s shoulders as Slade smiled ruefully.

“I wonder about that.”

The tears started slowly once again, but there was a soft smile on the boy’s face. They were steady now, his quiet sobs. Slade wasn’t sure what to do any more. All he knew was what he had learned while dealing with Dick. He knew exactly what Dick would need during a time like this. But Beast Boy, or Garfield, wasn’t his son, nor were they close.

Somehow, though, Slade knew from experience with Dick that a hug did wonders for a child.

And that was just what Slade found himself doing for the sobbing little boy before him. He drew Beast Boy into a hug. It seemed so easy to do now. It was so strange to think that here Slade was, comforting this child that wasn’t even his own, but had even been one that he had opposed before. But he knew Dick would be happy.

Beast Boy seemed startled by the gesture. For a long moment, he was stiff in Slade’s arms. Then, he melted. The boy was responding to the hug just as Dick always did. He didn’t return the hug, but he buried his face into Slade’s chest.

Minutes passed as Slade held the boy, not fully aware that he was rocking the child. The previous uncontrollable sobbing had long gone. Now there was only gentle sniffles.

Slade felt a presence in the kitchen  and he looked up to see Joey standing at the kitchen entrance. The young man had a very pleased expression on his face, as if he were proud. Slade smiled at him. The smile was returned.

Finally, Beast Boy slowly pulled out of Slade’s arms. It was noticeably clear that the child didn’t want to leave the comfort. Slade hadn’t ever realized just how much a child needed the physical affection. As Beast Boy rubbed at his eyes and face, Slade withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket and began to wipe the boy’s eyes. Beast Boy looked floored now.

“I think it’s time for you to go back to bed,” said Slade once he was done. He glanced over at the hot chocolate on the table and nodded to it. “Did you want to drink that?”

There was a shake of the head. Slade simply nodded. Then, much to the boy’s extreme surprise, Slade lifted him into his arms and stood up, setting the boy onto his hip. Those green eyes couldn’t have gotten bigger.

As Slade walked to the basement door, Joey reached out to him.

 _“I can take him,”_ said Joey, smiling at them. _“If you want to look after Dick now, I can take Beast Boy back to bed.”_

The young man held out his arms. There was no hesitation. Slade nodded and the boy in his arms was transferred to Joey. The young boy looked thoroughly embarrassed by this point. He wiggled as Joey took him into his arms.

“Hey, I’m not a doll!” said Beast Boy hotly, though his tone was subdued. He was blushing furiously, but Joey only chuckled at him. There was strength in the young man’s arms as he held Beast Boy. Slade patted the boy on the arm and those green eyes looked at him. There were filled with such surprise, as if the kindness he was being shown was an abnormality.

“It will get better,” said Slade in a low whisper. “The pain will get better.”

Beast Boy slowly nodded, still looking stunned by everything. With a final pat on the arm, Slade pulled away. He gave Joey an appreciative glance, before he began to turn to go down the hallway.

“It’s like I’m running a blasted daycare center,” muttered Slade under his breath, but he winked good naturedly at the boy. Beast Boy’s ears flicked, reddening slightly, and he wiggled inside Joey’s arms.

“ _Hey!_ ”

Amusement played at Slade’s lips as he smirked at the boy. “Or perhaps a dog kennel.”

For a moment, Beast Boy looked surprised by the subtle joke. Then, he let out a giggling laugh. It was more than enough for Slade to turn his back and know that the child was in good hands – and that he had been comforted.

Not bad for an assassin, if Slade did say so himself – which he did.

“Slade,” said Beast Boy, calling out to the man. He waited as Slade turned back around to look at him. Beast Boy blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed over what he was about to say. But he felt it was needed. He wiggled once, a little surprised that Slade’s other son was strong enough to hold him without even slipping a bit. Finally, he got his courage up and looked the man in the eye. “You’re a really good Dad. Dick’s lucky to have you.”

 _Really lucky_.

There was a softness that came over Slade’s countenance. It was such a different side to the man, one that Beast Boy hadn’t ever seen before. But, somehow, he knew that Dick had seen it – far more than any of them could imagine.

Slade had once been their enemy. He had once been a great opposer. He had once been the epitome of everything they, the Teen Titans, stood against. But it had all just been an illusion. It hadn’t been the full truth. All along, behind the mask, there had been a man who was a really good father.

It was enough to make one jealous, if Beast Boy thought too hard about it – and he was trying _really_ hard not to think about it.

Once Slade disappeared into Dick’s room, Beast Boy turned his gaze onto the young man who was holding him. He felt embarrassingly little in these arms – Joey was only a few inches shorter than Slade. Not that Beast Boy didn’t enjoy it some. He did, but he was thirteen and much too old to be held like a little child.

“You can let me down now,” whispered Beast Boy, trying hard not to blush. There was a moment where the young man just looked at him. Then, there was a soft smile, somewhat mischievous in nature.

_“Naw, I don’t think I will.”_

Beast Boy blushed deeply. “I’m not a little baby! I don’t need to be carried to bed. Just let me down and I’ll go.”

Without realizing it, his long ears drooped slightly. He honestly didn’t want to go downstairs to sleep. Even though his friends were all together, there was such friction between them, it was hard to stay around. Cyborg was obviously angry with Slade. But now Starfire was disappointed in him and it was apparent that she was greatly saddened by it. Everything just felt awkward. No amount of silly tension breaking jokes would cut it. If Cyborg could’ve only seen how the man had dealt with Beast Boy tonight. Surely he would’ve seen something special there.

Beast Boy certainly had.

Joey paused again, his features filled with consideration. Then, the young man shook his head.

_“Why don’t you come bunk with me tonight?”_

“What?” asked Beast Boy, surprised even further.

 _“Well, everyone’s so uptight and sad about what’s happening with Dick,”_ said Joey. There was a such a gentleness on the young man’s face. _“I don’t think I could sleep without some company with me tonight.”_

Long ears perked up.

 _“What do you say?”_ asked Joey, his face lifted in a knowing smile. When Beast Boy nodded shyly, the young man hoisted him up higher in his arms. _“All right, then. Come on, pup, let’s go have our own slumber party. Good thing I smuggled those snacks in my luggage.”_

Beast Boy had to wonder if his skin was going to become permanently red, especially at being called ‘pup’. But he relaxed in the young man’s arms as he was carried down the hallway. Joey turned to the left when he reached the end.

There was a moment where Beast Boy allowed himself to enjoy the moment. The young man was talking and he just listened as he rested his head against the broad shoulder that was provided. There was no one else to see this. Cyborg or Raven would never get the chance to make fun of him for this. So, Beast Boy enjoyed Dick’s older brother – enjoying the feeling of being taken care of by an older, caring brother; secretly wishing he could have something like this.

He did hope there were some good snacks, though.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 3:59 am.**

Slade sat down onto the edge of the Dick’s bed. For a long minute, he just watched the sleeping form that was curled beneath the covers. There was a sense of relief that passed through Slade’s soul as he saw the slow, gentle lift that indicated steady breathing.

With a sigh, Slade twisted on the edge where he sat, placing his back against the wall. His legs extended the length of the bed. As Slade folded his arms and leaned his head against the wall, a tired exhale ran through his entire body.

Only this child would make him exhausted.

With Joey watching the youngest Titan, there was no one to watch the youngest Wilson. A touch of amusement lifted against Slade’s mouth as that thought crossed his mind. Dick still was a Grayson in name, but he very much was Slade Wilson’s son. With the friction between the Titans – well, mainly the eldest one – it pulled Slade out of the idyllic setting that many times arose with Dick. He was reminded of just who Dick was; well, not that he had ever forgotten. How could he?

Well, there was nothing to do about it. No matter how much Slade tried, his mind was at its peak in its exhaustion. Without even realizing it, Slade’s eye had closed. All too soon, he was asleep at Dick’s side.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 11:04 am.**

Slade woke with a start. It was a few moments before he realized where he was. He groaned softly, rubbing his face into his hands. With a glance at the clock, he was surprised to see that it was well into the morning – in fact, it was only an hour before noon. Good grief, he had slept _hours_ in this uncomfortable position.

 _Oh_ …

That creak in his back was _definitely_ confirming this fact. Being immortal didn’t always fix those things. With another low groan, Slade stretched his stiff limbs. He stilled instantly when he felt movement at his side.

Two dully lighted eyes of a crystal blue color were looking up at him.

Slade had never been more happy to see those eyes then at that very moment. He turned slightly and stroked the boy’s bangs. He was disturbed to feel the heat from Dick’s forehead; his skin damp.

“Dad,” whispered Dick, turning slightly beneath the covers. “Dad…”

“ _Shh_ ,” said Slade, slowly stroking through the black locks of hair. Dick’s eyes closed briefly, a wave of peace running through his expression. “It’s okay, I’m here. You’re very sick. Just rest.”

The boy had a fever. There was no doubt about it. Where he got it, now that was the worrying factor. Had it been through Slade’s mistake? Had the direct contact of Slade’s blood into the boy’s system created further sickness? Or was this a continuation of what was happening before?

Slade was torn between which problem he rather deal with – his own failure or an outside attack.

However, the instant effect that the pure version had had on the boy was enough to tell Slade that it wasn’t that which was causing the fever. That only meant the attack on Dick was renewing once again.

Slade had to do something before it was too late.

“Dick, listen to me,” whispered Slade, leaning down close to him. The boy’s eyes were faded with sickness, but there was a deep intelligent light within them. The boy was aware of his surroundings, just simply extremely ill. “I need to leave for a bit. I’ll come a little later, all right? Someone will always stay with you, though.” There was a pause, before Slade felt to add in a low whisper, as if anxious someone would overhear, “ _You’re not alone_.”

The emotions that played across Dick’s countenance were powerful. There was a mixture of relief and worry. A hand snaked out from beneath the blankets and reached for Slade. Hands connected. There was a squeeze from Dick.

“Wait…”

Slade did as the boy asked, unable to deny the child anything. Dick’s voice was weak and filled with an underline pain, as if simply existing was difficult.

“Kuroi… she’s… she’s all alone.”

“ _Shh_ , all right. Everything will be all right, son,” said Slade, watching the dim light in Dick’s eyes with great worry in his heart. He hadn’t ever seen Dick look this fragile before. His face was pale, his eyes were halfway closed, and there was a sheen of perspiration on his face.

And someone was doing this to him.

“ _No, Daddy_ ,” whispered Dick, his eyes clenching together once, before he looked back at him. The boy’s voice had grown even weaker. Slade felt his breath catch at the softer title of endearment that Dick used. “Kuroi, don’t forget… The others… they don’t know…”

“ _Shh_ , all right, all right,” said Slade, clasping the boy’s overly warm cheek. “I’ll get her. She’ll be fine.”

Dick closed his eyes. There was a soft sigh and he tilted his head toward the hand that was cradling his cheek. His breathing deepened and he was once again sleeping. Slade didn’t remove his hand, feeling the heated flesh there.

Then, silently, Slade got up from the bed. He tucked the covers up to the boy’s chin, carded his hand through those black bangs once more, before leaving a soft brush of a kiss on the damp brow. A soft whisper fell from Slade’s lips, one that hadn’t been said for many years, but now had become second nature due to this very special child.

_I love you._

Slade left the room with only a final glance back. With every stride he took down the hallway, he felt his temper rise. Someone was deliberately attacking his family once again. It was infuriating. The absolute fury bubbled to the surface before he even stepped into the threshold of the kitchen.

There was a medley of sound in the kitchen, but Slade didn’t notice it. He didn’t even think about going to his room and suiting up – which would have been a better option. Being suited up meant having a bigger gun.

And there wasn’t anything more that Slade wanted to do than to put a bullet through the attacker’s forehead.

The sound in the kitchen died as Slade made a beeline to a drawer in the kitchen. He ripped it open, the miscellaneous items crashing against the wood. Slade dug inside, twisted a knob, and lifted the bottom of the drawer. The items fell to the back as he pulled out the hidden object.

There were a number of weighty gasps.

“Slade, what on _earth_ are you going to do with _that?_ ” demanded Wintergreen.

The bottom of the drawer was righted, before it was shut. Without looking at the table, which was full of six occupants, Slade shoved the gun into the belt of his pants. He strode past the group, once again not taking a single glance back at them. As his hand touched the handle of the kitchen door, Slade paused.

“Will, I need someone to be with Dick at all times. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Chairs scraped against the ground, words of protest collided with one another, all just as Slade strode out of the kitchen and into the main room. But Slade didn’t care about the chaos that he was leaving in his wake. At that moment, all he cared about was inspecting the Tower. If the enemy was still there, then he or she was going _down_.

And he’d do it with a single bullet.

Slade was forced to stop, however, when he heard a single voice above all the others.

“I’m coming with you.”

The gears _clinked_. The lighting in the main room was dim. Slade whirled around and glared at Cyborg. The teen’s unnatural eye glowed ominously in the lighting.

“Slade, just where do you think you’re going, _armed_ no less?” asked Wintergreen, before anything else could be said. The old man had his hands on his hips. The doorway to the kitchen was crowded as everyone stared at Slade. The hardest expressions to endure were the ones on his son and daughter.

For crying out loud, what was the big deal? He was just carrying a gun out the door. Was that _so_ earth shattering? He was _Deathstroke, blast it_. Why was everyone making a big deal about this? There was someone attacking his family. Look at the foolishness of the past and surely one could see why Slade was walking out the door with a gun!

The silence was awkward.

“Slade, really, nothing good will come from needing that gun,” said Wintergreen finally. The irritation peaked and there was a low scoff.

“Just because I’ve retired,” began Slade with a low growl in his throat. “It doesn’t mean I’m not the same person as I’d been before.”

“I’ve been saying that since the beginning,” said Cyborg, his tone dripping with insolence.

“Which you’ve made abundantly clear,” snapped Slade. He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Well, you’re not leaving without me,” said Cyborg hotly. “This is Tita—”

Both Raven and Starfire placed hands onto Cyborg’s arm, just as Slade was about ready to strangle the boy. This teen was _extremely_ lucky he was part robot.

“Cyborg, that’s enough,” said Raven, her flat tone rising with strength. Then, she dropped her voice lower. “Remember what Starfire said last night?”

“Please, Cyborg, you must stop—”

Cyborg pulled out of their reach and Starfire stopped midsentence. “I remember,” he said shortly. “But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna let him—” He jabbed a finger towards Slade. “—go off on his own without one of us.”

Starfire looked hurt. Those monochromatic eyes were filled with endless pain, something Slade hadn’t seen with the girl. He wasn’t sure what she must’ve said, but it was apparent that it was being ignored.

It seemed that this enemy also had the ability to cause discord. Or was it just the circumstances?

“ _Yes_ ,” drawled Slade, with no patience to remove the viciousness his tone began to take. “Since I suddenly need a little boy to babysit me.”

“Slade, please,” said Wintergreen, looking appalled.

“ _Shove off, Slade!_ ” shouted Cyborg, bristling. Those words echoed inside Slade’s mind, almost reminiscent of another angry boy, who repeatedly shouted those same words not a few months ago. “I don’t trust you! Who knows what you’re planning or what angle you have here. Do you honestly think I’m gonna let you do whatever the heck you want? You’re nuts!”

Nostrils flared.

Well, the patience had been spent. There would be no more now. The only way it would be restored was once Dick was out of danger. But that wasn’t happening with no action. Slade was done. He was _done_ with no action. He was done fighting with this brat. He was a reasonable man – or so he thought – but this obnoxious, irrational teenager had just spent the last reserves of his patience.

Slade ripped the buttons open at his wrists. One of the buttons broke off and lightly _tapped_ against the floor. He roughly rolled up his sleeves and pulled at the button near the collar at his neck. Then, he opened his arms open and gestured to Cyborg vigorously.

“You want a fight?” demanded Slade. There was a sharp intake of breath from the old man, while everyone else looked startled by this development. “Well, _have at me!_ ”

“Slade—”

“ _Shut up, Will!_ ”

Cyborg stood in front of the others, his mouth open slightly, as he stared at Slade in shock.

“ _Well?_ ” shouted Slade, his arms sharply flicking once; the gesture inviting a fight. “You’ve got a problem with me, don’t you? So, get over here and talk with your fists! I’m sick and tired of dealing with your childish crap—” Cyborg flinched furiously at the term. “—and I’m done with this. You want a fight, well, little brat, _you got one_.”

Slade pointed a finger at the boy’s face.

“Be warned, though,” whispered Slade, his tone dropping to an ominous one. “I’ll not hold back. In one shot, you’ll go down. I don’t care if you’re Dick’s friend. I’ll wrestle you to the ground if I have to; I’ll hack into your programming and shut you down if I have to – if I have to knock you out, _so be it_.”

Cyborg’s eyes narrowed.

“So, you show your true colors now.”

There was a groan from Raven, while Slade nearly felt like screaming in frustration – a sensation he hadn’t felt in his entire life. _Ever_.

“Are you deliberately being obtuse?! _You don’t get it!_ ” shouted Slade, his voice reaching a volume that made everyone in its hearing distance flinch. “Have I not made one very important fact clear? Dick might _die!_ Don’t you even care about him? Do you have metal in your brain?! _Good grief_ , I’ve never met anyone so stubborn or, _blast it_ , idiotic – I’m not sure any more – than _you!_ ”

There was a sharp exhale of breath as Slade ran a hand through his hair in agitation. There were a few moments of silence to this and he calmed. He took a deep breath, before his tone softened.

“Look, Victor—” And at this, there was a suck of breath from Cyborg. There were a number of reactions to the use of the boy’s real name from the remaining two Titans. “—I don’t want to fight with you, but you leave me no choice. You want a fight. Fine. Bring it on. I’ll take you down without hesitation, because I don’t have time to deal with this. Dick’s life is at stake here. If you want to gamble with something else, then go ahead. But my son’s life is off limits.”

Slade looked at the teen in the eye, his stance hardening.

“Otherwise,” continued Slade, his voice hissing slightly. “I suggest you plant that stubborn, idiotic metal butt of yours in a kitchen chair and think about someone else besides yourself.”

There was no answer to that. For once, Cyborg appeared that he had nothing to say in retort. His glance had been torn from Slade, his head ducked to stare at the ground. His body still stood there, waiting to fight and argue again, but it was obvious that he was also wavering.

“I can’t figure out what your problem is,” said Slade, shaking his head as he continued. “You’re looking for something. What more proof do you need from me? I stopped being Deathstroke. I’ve given Dick every freedom he wants – barring stupidity, of course – and every freedom when it comes to his hero work, despite the daily _heart failure_ I get from it. I even gave up _my_ time to train a bunch of annoying teenagers – no offense – for _his_ sake. Everything I do, _everything_ I’ve done now has been for that boy.”

There was a glimmer of pride within a pair of green eyes. Joey’s expression truly made Slade feel that he was finally doing something right by his family for once. If Joey approved, then that really did mean something – it meant that _finally_ Slade was getting this.

Even Wintergreen had an approving lift to his features. The youngest Titan, Beast Boy, held an expression of awe, while Raven looked touched as well. The only one who _still_ didn’t seem to quite get it was Cyborg.

_What more did this child want?_

“Do you love him?” asked Cyborg, his voice quiet now.

“I gave up _everything_ for that boy; _what gave it away?!_ ” demanded Slade incredulously, nearly shouting once again. “What further proof can I offer but through my actions? Yes, I realize that previous actions have attested otherwise, but since the point I decided Deathstroke was done, I have done nothing if only it were for that child.”

Slade shook his head, feeling all his emotions die in his chest. He didn’t need to prove anything to this boy. Yet, he was still talking and wasn’t stopping any time soon.

“If that’s not love, then I’ll never know true love.”

The silence that reigned over the group was absolute. Slade turned away, not wanting to see any more expressions. He needed to take care of the enemy, for Dick’s sake. He needed to save his son. This was the only way to do it.

No matter the sacrifice, Slade would do _anything_ to protect Dick.

He wanted his son to be well again. He wanted to hear that laugh, hear that soft giggle of delight, hear that voice filled with happiness – once more, he needed to hear all that once more. He wasn’t ready to lose another son. He would _never_ be ready.

No matter how inevitable it was.

“…D–Dad?”

Slade sucked in his breath and whirled back around. The group had parted from the doorway, revealing Dick. He was clutching at the doorframe with all his energy. It was clear that it was taking all his strength just to stand there. Starfire and Joey came to the boy’s side immediately, each grabbing him at one arm. There was a sigh of relief from Dick as he allowed himself to be supported.

“Dick, you must go back to your bed,” said Starfire, tears filling her eyes. “You are very unwell.”

It was brief, but Dick’s eyes glanced over at her. There was an appreciative look in his gaze, before he moved it onto Slade. Almost instantly, Slade was striding forward – passing by Cyborg – and was holding Dick steady from the front. The boy pulled from the two who were supporting him and clung to Slade.

“Dad… what’s… What’s going on?”

“The real question is, what on earth are you doing out of bed?” said Slade, his voice low and soft, yet there was a blend of chiding within.

“I heard yelling…”

“Yes, well…” started Slade, feeling uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted was to add worry onto the boy’s shoulders. Knowing Dick, he would take it very personally if any of them were fighting. “We were having a very… loud discussion.”

There was a breathless chuckle from Dick. Never had Slade heard something so beautiful as the child laughing. To see it in the middle of his sickness was a miracle.

“Those are scary,” whispered Dick, giving Slade a tiny lift of his lips. Though the color in his eyes was dim, there was the gentlest of twinkles within.

A prominent Adam’s apple bobbed once.

The boy’s skin was warm to the touch, too warm to be healthy. His hands, however, were colder than ice. It was chilling to feel. Then, all the strength left the small body, dimmed eyes rolling back. Dick fell forward, just as Slade stopped the descent and lifted the child up into his arms. Dick felt so light, yet his limbs were heavy and limp. The boy rested his head against Slade’s chest with one of his arms draped over his stomach.

“You foolish child,” whispered Slade. There was a soft smile on the boy’s face. Amusement flooded through Slade. The child was more than pleased to be carried at that moment, it would seem.

Silence was the only companion as Slade walked back to Dick’s bedroom. He could feel a few of the others following him. He carefully placed Dick onto his bed, pulling the covers out from beneath him and lifting them to his chin. There was a moment of gentleness that crossed Dick’s face as he opened his eyes slightly to look up at Slade.

It was brief, however – _so painfully brief_.

The boy’s expression contorted, just as it had before when the attack had come on. Then, Dick screamed.

“ _Will!_ ”

Slade knelt onto the bed and grabbed boy’s wrists, afraid that he would start thrashing wildly again. Dick arched his back, just as he screamed again.

This time, however, Slade could hear words.

“ _No! S–stop it!_ ”

The poor child didn’t have long to be in agony. A second batch of a sedative was injected inside his flesh. The energy faded from Dick’s body and Slade loosened his grip. Just as the boy’s eyes slid closed, there was a whispered, “ _Thank you, Dad_.”

There was no doubt in Slade’s mind now: someone really was attacking the boy.

“Someone needs to stay with him at all times,” said Slade, pulling away from the bed. As he turned away, he noticed that Starfire and Rose came to the bedside. Wintergreen looked exhausted and beyond worried now. Slade wasn’t going to stick around to talk about his plans to the old man, though. He turned away completely.

“Slade, where are you—”

“I promise not to do anything rash, Will,” said Slade softly. Then, his tone became serious. “No one is to leave until I come back.”

In a single stride, Slade left the room. He had a job to do.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 12:18 pm.**

Slade’s latest decision was only going to cause more friction between himself and the eldest Titan. But the situation called for it. Slade was willing to sacrifice for this, both his sanity and time. He didn’t care if he had to fight with the stubborn teen, he didn’t care if he had to strap Cyborg to a chair, he was going to do this.

Cyborg was excellent in the ways of technology and his work was certainly above PHD holding professors, but the teen’s security systems in the Tower were sorely lacking. It barely took Slade two minutes before he had the front door opened and every system to recognize his presence as guest within the Tower.

Normally, the Tower allowed his presence, due to Dick’s modifications, but apparently, _someone_ – who shall remain nameless, no matter how much he was being the most exceptional stubborn child Slade had ever met – had locked him out completely.

“Blasted brat,” muttered Slade, as he entered the main hall of the Tower. With a few minutes of work, Slade had upped the security and now had the entire Tower in lock down. He allowed the interior to remain open to give him free reign, but as to the actually _leaving_ the Tower, that wasn’t going to happen unless Slade allowed it.

If the enemy was still in the Tower, he or she wasn’t getting away.

Now, the first order of business was to get the cat.

Slade, never in all his life, imagined he would think such a thing.

The Tower was quiet. It was odd to Slade not to hear any life within these walls, but it did make his job similar. He certainly didn’t need Dick underfoot at a time like this. He also didn’t need a fight with the boy over this. It was a good thing the boy was asleep – _more like knocked out_ – in bed.

He found it mildly interesting that he knew his way around the Tower. He’d become a regular visitor, after all. He had been a part of their lives more now – even with the hostility from Cyborg.

Now the Tower felt devoid of life. It made Slade even more infuriated with the enemy. How dare he – probably a guy, in Slade’s opinion – disrupt these children’s lives. How _dare_ he attempt to harm them in such a way.

Slade dutifully forgot that he had once been in that position.

He made his way to Dick’s bedroom, watchful for any suspicious movements in the shadows. There was nothing out of the ordinary, beyond the unnerving quiet. There were no echoing sounds, nor anything that would put Slade on full alert.

Which was precisely why he was doubly alert and tense. Despite the innocence that the Tower seemed to permeate through its halls, Slade’s gut was telling him that there was something off. His instinct was going crazy; it was positive that the enemy was still in the Tower.

Slade reached Dick’s bedroom, the door sliding open at his arrival. The lighting was dim, its only source streaming through the window in the second section of the room. The door slid closed automatically behind Slade.

Suddenly, a streak of black raced forward. Slade tensed. There was a fraction of a second where he almost went for the gun at his hip. Instead, he hesitated. A moment later, something leapt into his arms. Relief flowed through Slade. The soft, furry creature trembled. Then, mewling broke the silence.

Slade sighed and stroked the fur of the kitten. “All right, calm down, furball,” he said. “Your silly master is sick right now.”

Bright blue eyes blinked up at him. The creature mewled. Slade raised an eyebrow at the kitten.

“Why on earth am I talking to a cat?” muttered Slade, shaking his head. “It’s not like you can understand me.”

The mewl that flooded the room sounded strongly like an indignant protest. Those large cat eyes were filled with intelligence. There was another sigh, one deep of longsuffering. Slade patted the kitten’s head and received contented purring in return.

Slade walked around the room briefly, ready to drop the kitten and go for his gun if need be. However, while he looked around, the creature had been more than content to nestle in his arms. Without even realizing it, Slade was cradling the kitten.

He looked around the joined rooms once more, before returning to the door. Seeing the bedroom of Dick had brought a wave of nostalgia . It wasn’t exactly a pleasant one, since the last time Slade had been in this room had been when he’d kidnapped Dick to be his apprentice. It was strange to see these rooms again and have a much different perspective.

Slade left the room. He needed to stop wasting time. His son was back home and counting on his father to protect him, even if he didn’t know that Slade was doing this.

Time passed as Slade visited the other bedrooms. Soon, he began to visit the other rooms within the Tower. There were a lot of unused rooms as well. Really, it was honestly like a hotel. They could’ve housed many people here.

Finally, Slade came across the medical room. Immediately, he noticed the frozen form that was Terra. There were tears petrified on her face. The fear was written throughout her expression. Slade was not happy with the girl. He was angry that she had betrayed the Teen Titans, especially Dick. He was frustrated that his son just trusted her so easily, when she had been an enemy from the beginning.

It made Slade want to be more controlling over Dick’s safety, though he knew he couldn’t. He couldn’t cage such a free bird.

But he couldn’t hate the girl. She was no older than Beast Boy, making her younger than Dick. She was another child, just a little girl. Though her mistakes had been large in their consequences, he couldn’t hate the child. But that didn’t mean he was ever going to trust her again.

Something squishy nuzzled against Slade’s leg. The kitten extracted herself from his arms a moment later and jumped to the ground.

What Slade saw gurgling and nuzzling against his leg was not a normal creature – nor was it an attractive creature. It was larger than the kitten. It looked like a giant bug – one that would’ve sent most into sickening shudders.

This must be that mutant moth thing.

Slade grimaced. “You do realize you are quite the ugly monstrosity?” The large larva gurgled happily at him. It seemed that Dick’s previous notions that this thing – Silkie, had he called it? – would try to eat the kitten were unfounded. The kitten immediately created the hierarchy between them, it seemed, and Silkie appeared satisfied to maintain it.

Slade rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, “Good grief, I’m becoming a blasted errand boy for a zoo.”

The two creatures played happily with each other. The kitten purred loudly, while that squishy larva thing gurgled some more. Who in their right mind would name that worm ‘Silkie’? Good grief, someone in this Tower was insane. Slade watched the two for a minute, denying any thoughts that Silkie _might_ have some attraction – it was a ‘it’d grow on you’ sort of thing, he supposed.

No doubt about it, the kitten was far cuter. Why the boy named her Kuroi, Slade had no idea.

Slade took one more glance around the medical room. He was going to have to bring Terra back home. They couldn’t afford anyone getting into the Tower and taking her away, nor could she be allowed to be by herself. She could unfreeze without any interference and leave without anyone knowing.

When that girl woke up, Slade was going to have a long chat with her.

Suddenly, the kitten hissed. The larva whimpered. A chill went down Slade’s back and he felt the unmistakable feeling of someone watching him. He tensed and withdrew the gun in an instant. His eye narrowed as he stared at the darkness within the room.

Something flickered within the shadows.

Joey had been right. Someone _had_ been attacking Dick. There was an enemy and there was no possible way that Slade was going to let this person go without a fight.

The kitten’s back was erect; her fur rising as her eyes gleamed with fear. Silkie whimpered, curling up next to the kitten. Kuroi hissed at the shadows, just as Slade took a decided step forward, the gun poised and ready to fire.

The shadows consumed him, leaving the other two occupants of the Tower to wait in fear for his return.

A single shot blasted through the Tower.

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on Friday, December 12th:** Chapter Twenty-One: Sacrifices – Terrible choices have been made. Weighed down heavily, Slade turns to Wintergreen and learns what it means to have faith in something – even when the future seems endlessly dark. Thus, as the strength begins to return to Dick, the old man helps lift the spirits of the household with a surprise.


	21. Sacrifices

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Sacrifices**

 

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 12:25 pm.**

“I think we’ve been having far too much excitement these past twenty-four hours,” said Wintergreen, putting a hand to his forehead. Starfire nodded quietly, looking down at the sleeping face of Dick. Though he looked peaceful in his rest, there were lines on his face that showed the tenseness that was in his heart.

For all the strength she possessed, Starfire felt hopelessly helpless. By the way Slade had handled Dick, she knew that he felt the same. It was hard to watch someone you cared about in pain. She wanted to go along side with Slade and tear apart the enemy. She wanted to tear that enemy _limb from limb_. She knew the man was leaving to destroy the horrible one who was hurting Dick.

The anger that rose inside her heart was one of righteousness and one of vengeance.

“Do you girls need anything?” asked Wintergreen, after taking a deep breath. He placed the used syringe inside of a container and then placed it within the suitcase, which was closed afterward. There were silent shakes of the head and Wintergreen sighed. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Slade will keep a smart head.”

As Wintergreen walked to the bedroom door, there was a low mutter, “At least he better.”

The two girls were left behind after that. There was an awkward silence between them. Starfire remembered this girl from before, when she had been Sadie. But everything about her seemed different now. She felt less hostile and she even appeared concerned for Dick’s welfare.

Rose sat down on the edge of the bed and lifted her legs, so she could curl her arms around them. She had to push Dick closer to the wall, but he never stirred from the touch. Starfire watched this, wondering what she should say.

“I was thinking that I probably owe you an apology,” said Rose, looking at Starfire with grey blue eyes. Her white hair pooled over her shoulders. Then, her eyes took a strange light, one that Starfire didn’t understand. “But then, I remembered that your buddies busted my windows, so I guess we’re even.”

Starfire opened her mouth, ready to question the girl’s meaning, when she paused. There was a twinkle in her eyes, something Starfire had seen before within Dick’s eyes. As she remembered the memories, she realized that the girl was teasing her. She gave Rose a soft smile.

Before she knew it, the two of them were giggling and laughing quietly.

“All is forgotten, then,” said Starfire, after a few moments of delightful laughter. She hoped Dick could hear them and be comforted by their presence. She sat down at the top of the bed, near Dick’s head, with her legs still over the edge. “Perhaps it would be best if we have some reintroductions. I am Starfire.”

“Rose Wilson.” The girl held out her hand. Starfire remembered this motion. She was supposed to clasp the hand in return. She was hesitant as she reached toward the girl’s hand, but her nervousness faded away when Rose smiled at her. Together, their hands connected and shook once.

The conversation turned pleasant after that. Once Rose had found out that Starfire had been friends with Dick for nearly two years – discounting the period of absence – the girl demanded all kinds of stories be shared about her new brother.

Thus, Starfire found herself recounting as many stories as she could remember. Most of them were about ‘Robin’, but looking back, Starfire could see hints of the once hidden boy that was Dick. She forwent using his hero name.

She was talking about a different time, perhaps about a boy who used a mask, but there was no doubt in Starfire’s mind: _she could see it_.

Robin was Dick and Dick was still Robin.

And she loved that boy, and desperately prayed to X’hal that he would recover as quickly as possible.

ooOOOOOoo

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 4:58 pm.**

There was peace within the haunt, if one were to call it that. It was more like a home now. The younger occupants didn’t fully understand the gravity of the current situation. But it was a good thing. They were young, after all. Slade being gone for nearly five hours was something none of them should dwell on.

Joey was keeping the two male teens occupied – Beast Boy had been following the young man that was pure reminiscence to another young boy not too long ago. A baby chick came to mind. Cyborg had stuck with the two for want of something to do.

The girls, on the other hand, were permanent caretakers in Dick’s room. Raven finally joined the other two girls and the three of them stayed at the bedside of Dick.

And all the while, Wintergreen sat at the kitchen table, watching for when that door would open and Slade would walk in. The old man was at the age where a caffeine high wasn’t enough to keep him going. You couldn’t fault him for not trying, though. He was almost ready to resort to some kind of sugar high – Slade did have a few frozen chocolate cakes in the freezer.

Really, a stiff drink sounded so much better. Too bad Christmas was a ways off or Wintergreen would’ve indulged himself.

But he didn’t. There was only one thing the old man could do at the moment. He refused to take his eyes off that door. Someone had to be the one to greet Slade as he walked through that door. Someone had to hand the man a cup of coffee and be a support.

Someone had to make sure that man was home safe.

And then, and _only_ then, would Wintergreen allow himself to breathe.

Still, it was hard. It was hard not to feel anxious or worried. It was hard not to imagine all sorts of horrible things. Normally it hadn’t been this bad. Sure, Wintergreen worried when Slade had gone out on contracts. He always stayed up for Slade. _Always_.

It was silly. Wintergreen knew it. Slade was immortal, of course. The man would come home, there was no doubt. There were very few times Slade ever came back home looking a bit worse for wear. His wounds were always healed, but he’d just have that harried look about him.

It would’ve been easy just to view this like any normal contract.

Yes, how easy it could’ve been… If it weren’t for that special boy who was currently ill. Slade needed to come home. This wasn’t the same any more. That child _needed_ Slade. Joey and Rose needed their father after so many years of his absence. Slade had better get his butt back home in one piece or Wintergreen was going to go on a laundry rampage – starting with Slade’s undergarments!

Wintergreen snorted to himself, easing his mind only briefly at the image of Slade walking awkwardly down the hallway. Oh, yes, if that stubborn, foolish man didn’t come back soon, this old man was going to go on a _rampage_ and Heaven help the poor schnook that was on the receiving end of it.

Such plots were whirling inside Wintergreen’s mind as he sipped his cup of coffee – he’d lost count of how many he’d had. While it distracted him for the time being, it did nothing to alleviate the worry.

And like any good friend, he endured it.

It was only a half an hour later when the kitchen door blessedly opened. The relief was absolute when Wintergreen watched Slade enter the kitchen.

The relief was brief, however.

Slade wouldn’t look him in the eyes. Wintergreen swept his gaze over the man. Well, nothing looked off. Slade was in one piece. But instantly, Wintergreen knew something wasn’t right. What, he wasn’t sure. There were very few times that Slade had ever been pale. Right now, Slade was white as a ghost. It was unnerving.

Wintergreen stood from his seat, ready to get that cup of coffee, and opened his mouth to speak, when Slade’s voice rose first.

“Here.” Slade held out a small box. “You’ll need this.”

Wintergreen accepted it with a raised eyebrow. “What is this, exactly? And no greetings, Slade? You’ve been gone for over five hours!”

“Well, do you have any allergy meds here?” asked Slade, pulling back away from the old man. He kept his distance as he gave Wintergreen a raised eyebrow of his own. The bag in his arms wriggled on its own accord.

“No, but… Oh, for heaven’s sake, Slade.” The old man looked exasperated, but Slade wasn’t ready to address anything else. “Why do you ask?”

“I brought the cat back.”

The old man raised an eyebrow. There was an effort to look dismayed on his face, but his lips were showing the signs of amusement. Those hazel green eyes twinkled.

“Oh, dear.”

“Try not to sneeze to death,” said Slade. He knew the statement was funny, to say the least, but his mood wasn’t going to allow it. He didn’t say anything more as he turned away and began to walk down the hallway.

“ _Excuse me_ ,” drawled Wintergreen, in one of those more dangerous tones that the old man rarely took on. “Just where do you think you’re going?”

“I’ll be back. Checking on Dick,” said Slade, not slowing down at all. There was an audible huff from the kitchen, but there were no more protests. Slade was thankful. He couldn’t handle it. Right now, he just needed to make sure Dick was all right. Once he confirmed that, Slade would relax.

Only just a bit.

He pushed the ajar bedroom door open. The sight that met him made Slade smile slightly.

Rose was sprawled over the bottom of the bed, fast asleep. It was a wonder she wasn’t crushing Dick’s legs. Starfire had fallen asleep at the top of the bed, her upper body leaning against the edge there. She was sitting on the desk chair. Raven was also in the room. She was meditating with her legs folded, her body floating in the air.

Raven’s eyes opened as Slade entered the room. He nodded once to her and she acknowledged him, only to close her eyes with a soft expression on her face.

Slade stepped to the bedside. Dick was fast asleep, his countenance peaceful. He knew it was partly because of the sedative that he’d given the boy, but that would’ve worn off by now. No, this meant that the worst was over. Dick would be weak for a time, but he would recover.

Slade had made sure of that, after all.

The bag at his waist became more insistent on its own. With a sigh, Slade unzipped the bag. He was met with a pair of blue eyes, which were gazing up at him reproachfully. Slade pulled the kitten out of the bag. She barely looked at him before she leapt from his arm. She landed effortlessly onto the bed and made her way to the head. There she curled up into the crook of Dick’s neck. She watched Slade with those unwavering, intelligent eyes.

“Yes, yes,” whispered Slade, still feeling foolish, but knowing that the kitten could understand him to a degree. “You’re with your little master now.”

Slade could’ve sworn the look she gave him was borderline incredulous. It was obvious by the way she had curled up against Dick: _she_ was the master, not the other way around.

Slade held back the amused chuckle as he began to pull out the other occupant of the bag, who just happened to be gurgling with a low whine. As he pulled out the squishy creature, Slade stopped. He was a little startled that two monochromatic eyes were looking up at him.

“Here,” said Slade, catching himself. He handed the live thing to Starfire, who accepted the creature with glowing, delighted eyes.

“Oh, Silkie!” whispered Starfire, snuggling against the creature. Slade wondered if the girl lacked intelligence or she simply lacked common sense – probably both, now that Slade thought about it. The girl was licking the worm with an impressively long inhuman tongue.

Oh, yes. It was a gag worthy moment.

Luckily, Slade was gloriously spared of causing a scene in his son’s room. Starfire stopped her catlike, yet alienlike bathing of the creature and gave Slade an appreciative smile. She mouthed, _“Thank you.”_ at him. He nodded once, giving Dick one final glance, before leaving the room.

Slade shut the door behind himself. It was then that everything crashed down on his shoulders. He leaned against the door, slowly drawing a hand over his face. He rubbed the fur on his chin. There was a heavy weight on his heart, one he had never experienced before. There was no comfort, he knew that much. Not even Dick’s smile could change it – not that it couldn’t help.

But this was far too horrible.

Slade didn’t realize when his feet began to walk down the hallway. His head was tilted downward, his mind clouded with too many burdensome thoughts. There was only one way to describe his feelings: it felt like his soul had been sucked out. Of course, this was ridiculous, as he very much was retaining his soul. Nonetheless, it felt like that; like all light and happiness had been stolen away.

And Slade wasn’t sure how to get it back.

“Slade, are you all right?” asked Wintergreen. The sound of the old man’s voice made Slade look up. He was a little surprised to see himself standing at the entrance of the kitchen. Wintergreen stood up from the table, the alarm beginning to fill his aged features. “You look extremely pale.”

The old man came to Slade. The worry shone in those hazel green eyes. There were wrinkles surrounding those old orbs. There were wrinkles creasing that aged brow. Something ached inside Slade’s heart at the sight.

Slade had known this man for over thirty years now. During the first few years, they had been in the army together. Wintergreen had been an exceptionally handsome middle aged man when they had met, with not a single strand of grey hair. Then, the man had stuck around during Slade’s family years, becoming part of the family himself; acting as a wise old uncle to the children. Finally, Wintergreen had stayed during the period of solitary, the aftermath of his decimated family.

Not once had this man left Slade’s side. It was the ultimate sign of true loyalty and friendship. Why he stayed at his side, Slade couldn’t understand. While the age had frozen in time for Slade, he had watched those wrinkles form, watched that fiery red hair fade to pepper grey, watched a fit man become a little creakier. As Slade never aged, he watched his best friend, age into an old man. Wintergreen was nearly twenty years older than him, but nonetheless, the change was dramatic.

Wintergreen had been there for support when Slade’s family had been torn apart by a choice of arrogance and stupidity. When Addie left, Wintergreen didn’t. This man – now old man – was truly family to Slade. When everything else failed, this old man was a foundation of strength that Slade had yet to attain.

Wintergreen was more of a father to him than his own biological father had been.

Slade clasped the old man by the shoulders, his hands trembling. He didn’t know what he was doing any more. Everything was falling apart, wasn’t it? He didn’t know if the choices he was making were the right ones. Even now, being fifty-four years old, and he felt as uncertain with himself as a young preteen. He felt as if he were treading through a sea of darkness and waste; his mind clouded with fog of immense proportions.

Wintergreen lifted his hands, overlapping the ones that were clasping his shoulders.

“Slade, what’s wrong?” asked Wintergreen, his expression turning serious as he gently squeezed Slade’s hands. He could only shake his head at the old man. He couldn’t say. He just couldn’t say what he had done. He almost let out a chuckle. Now he knew exactly how Dick felt – how he’d felt about revealing the worst part of his nightmares.

To acknowledge a terrible thing was the hardest feat possible. Slade’s throat contracted as he swallowed. He couldn’t do it. The secret was too horrible. The worried expression that was flooding the old man’s face soon turned into a touched, nurturing care.

A moment later, Slade felt hands grab his shoulders and force him into a hug. Arms wrapped around him, one firmly patting him on the back and the other lifting to cradle the back of his head. Slade’s arms were already over the old man’s shoulders. Then, his own arms responded in kind, after having so much practice from such a loving child in his life.

The weight of his heart felt ever so burdened. His thoughts were slugged down like sludge by the decision he had just made. Somehow, the hug by this old friend was almost unraveling. He dipped his head down into the neck provided. His arms clung the back of Wintergreen’s shirt with everything he possessed. His body shook with his effort to maintain his control.

_What have I done…?_

“Who died, Slade?” asked Wintergreen in a low murmur. “Is it Richard? Have you learned something? Did you do something rash again?”

“No one died.”

There was a light pause.

“Then, what has you so shaken and weighed down?”

Slade took a moment, accepting the warm gesture from the old man for another minute. Then, he withdrew, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Wintergreen took a seat closest to him. Slade didn’t look at him for a few moments and he was appreciative to the old man for not pressuring him. Finally, he gathered his thoughts and tried to formulate them into words that he could speak.

“What do you do when faced with a certain pair of choices?” whispered Slade, his face in his hand. “How do you choose? One that is so _terrible_ that it might even be unforgiveable and one which outweighs the first by outstanding and horrific proportions. What do you choose when there are _no other choices?_ ”

There was silence. Slade restrained himself from looking up at Wintergreen. Then, after a few quiet moments, there was the sound of a long exhale of breath.

“I take it you were faced with this kind of uncomfortable position,” said Wintergreen, his voice soft.

“Yes.”

Slade still didn’t look up.

“Which did you choose?”

There was no answer for that. What could Slade say? He could only shake his head. Nothing good was going to come from this. He had only pushed off the inevitable until another day. But anything was worth protecting Dick. _Anything_ was worth protecting the child that was his son. The responsibility was too sacred to let it fall to another.

“Slade, only you can find the answer to that, it would seem,” said Wintergreen quietly. “Whatever your choice was, it couldn’t be as bad as all that.”

“How would you know?” whispered Slade, his voice bitter. But the emotion was towards himself and not towards the old man. “How on _earth_ would you know?”

There was a pause. Slade heard the man get up. There were the unmistakable sounds of coffee being prepared.

“I’m not sure what answer you’re seeking. What are you looking for from me?” asked Wintergreen. There was another pause. “It would seem that you’re looking for disapproval. Are you truly looking for your condemnation?”

Slade gave out a terribly weighted sigh, leaning against the table with his elbows and running his hands through his hair.

“Yes.” There was a pause. “No, of course not.” There was another pause, before the room was filled with another sigh. “I don’t know… Probably.” Good grief, he was sounding like a teenager. He dropped his hands from his head.

There was a soft chuckle.

“You sound like a man deeply burdened by life,” said Wintergreen, his hazel green eyes filled with gentle wisdom. A mug was pushed against Slade’s hands. “I think you’re missing something important. Like a little faith.”

Slade sucked in his breath, knowing all too well what the old man had meant. He slowly shook his head. “Will… No, I know what you’re trying to do, but… I’m just not that type. I can’t be a man of… faith. I’m just one of those people who don’t have it. I just can’t…” Slade trailed off, still shaking his head.

In all his years of being friends with Wintergreen, the topic of religion never came up. It was just one of those things that were never breached. Slade was less inclined to listen to such things, especially what had happened to his family. He hadn’t even known Wintergreen was a Christian. He supposed  by the way the old man acted, it should’ve given him away. But Wintergreen didn’t actually go to church every Sunday. Wasn’t that want being a Christian meant? A church going person?

“Why haven’t you tried to convert me before?” asked Slade, diverting the conversation; truly wondering about it, though. “Why now?”

There was a chuckling snort.

“Oh, _good grief_ , Slade. You’re not normally this obtuse,” said Wintergreen with another chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. Slade’s eyebrow twitched. “First of all, I’m not trying to – as you say – _convert_ you. I just asked you to have a little faith, not join the choir. And besides—” There was another shake of the head. “—you, of all people, should be aware of that answer. Trying to force you won’t go down well. You can’t force faith, nor shove the topic down someone’s throat. Richard is the perfect example of that. You, no matter how hard you tried to force it, could never make him your apprentice in the true sense of the word – at least not the apprentice you had been attempting during the beginning.”

“If you knew that, then why didn’t you try to stop me?” asked Slade, before he could hold his tongue. He knew his friend was the epitome of loyalty, but he couldn’t help his questions. “Why didn’t you turn me into the police? Why didn’t you let Dick go? You had plenty of chances.”

“Because, I knew things you didn’t.”

“Like _what?_ ” demanded Slade, his tone incredulous. “What could you possibly have known that I didn’t? Are you really saying that you _knew_ from day one that this would happen? You _knew_ I would adopt Dick and everything would be normal. Will, what happened wasn’t normal _at all_.”

_It’s still not…_

“Slade, what is faith?” asked Wintergreen.

“Will, we were—”

“Just answer the question.”

There was an exasperated sigh.

“I don’t know. You’re the one who is supposed to know everything about it, right?” snapped Slade, glaring at the old man.

Wintergreen gave Slade the most stern frown he had ever received. For a moment, he actually could relate to how Dick would feel if he were to give the boy that look. It was extremely disconcerting, to say the least. Slade sighed again.

“I don’t really know, Will.” The old man was relentless and Slade couldn’t hold back yet another sigh. He struggled at first, but he came up with the best answer. “Faith is a belief in something that has no proof or evidence.”

“Close, but not quite,” said Wintergreen with an aged smile. There was a moment of silence as the old man contemplated what to say. Somehow, Slade wondered if he actually wanted to listen to the answer. But there was something inside of his soul that needed comfort. He needed to hear something. He needed to know that he hadn’t done something that would forever destroy what little happiness he’d obtained. All he knew was he had just made an undeniably horrible choice.

Was there any hope for him, after all?

“Faith is a type of hope,” began Wintergreen, his voice becoming soft. “Faith is believing in something that isn’t seen, yet is true.”

Slade raised an eyebrow at that. “How on earth can you know if something is true if you can’t see it?” he drawled.

“I don’t know, can you see the wind?” said Wintergreen, sounding amused. Slade rolled his eye, shaking his head. “Exactly, Slade. There are many things in this life that aren’t seen, yet they _exist_. Physical evidence isn’t the only way to know something of truth.”

The old man leaned forward and placed a hand over Slade’s heart. The touch was somewhat startling, but Slade didn’t move. Something ached in his chest again. There was a deep knowing and sincerity in the old man’s eyes.

“There. _There_ is the place where you will discover truth from lies,” whispered Wintergreen. “What do you feel for Richard? Is it love? Where is that? Can I see it? Is there visible evidence?”

There was a swallow. “My actions prove that much.”

“Exactly. Faith is the action of belief. Faith is a choice. It’s not something people have or don’t have. It’s not a possession nor a gift. It’s a physical choice one has to make for themselves. If you have faith in something, you hope for it, you believe in it, you work towards it, you see and envision the future with it. Because you love Richard, you do things automatically that prove this to be true.”

Something began to soften inside Slade’s heart. He couldn’t help but remember Dick’s laughter. He knew he’d do anything to bring that back, even a walk through the cruelest and most terrible of gauntlets.

It certainly felt as if he had done just that.

“Faith is a confidence like no other and it builds further confidence in the future,” said Wintergreen softly, pulling his hand back. “When there is that confidence, that faith, then remarkable things happen – even miracles. We have experienced one of our own, haven’t we? The growth you and Richard went through was a miracle of hearts. If the two of you could grow so close together, then anything more is possible.”

“But… my action, my choice that I made today…” whispered Slade. He shook his head. “There is no future because of it.”

“Oh, Slade, listen to me. No matter what, I have the faith and confidence in the future. I know that it will be a bright one. Therefore, I will act like it. My actions will attest to this belief.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” said Slade, his voice a hoarse whisper. He simply couldn’t understand. Where did the man get that confidence? How could he have such knowledge when Slade knew all too well the future was grim. There was nothing stopping it – it was only a matter of _when_.

No one would be prepared for it. Everything would be over. There would be nothing to live for – perhaps a half life, but never as it was before. Nothing could prevent what was to happen. Slade knew a powerful enemy when he saw them – and he had met _few_.

It was logical this would be the last great enemy he would ever face.

It would’ve been foolish to imagine that all was lost, but that was exactly what Slade was doing. He couldn’t have possibly dreamt that just as someone special had watched over Dick before, it surely didn’t mean such a presence had faded.

A hand clasped over Slade’s. It was filled with warmth. He looked up at Wintergreen as the old man gazed at him with deep emotion in his expression.

“I know your soul is weighed down,” whispered Wintergreen, squeezing Slade’s hand gently. “We all come to that point, some lower than others. But that is the time where you search for answers – answers that are higher than you. This is the time where humility rises where the pride once was. This is the time where you realize that you are weak when alone. But strength can be yours if you only look towards the future for something better. It will always find you – _one way or another_. Trust me on this. I know.”

Slade averted his eye. All this talk was nice, but… It still didn’t excuse anything. It still didn’t change anything. It didn’t make enduring easier. It sounded foolish to Slade’s ears. Choices were what decided one’s future. It had nothing to do with belief, no matter what Wintergreen said.

“Slade, I want you do something for me.”

“What?” asked Slade, feeling unsettled.

“I want you to have some faith.”

There was the clicking of a tongue.

“ _Tsk_ , Will, you know—”

“Now just hear me out, Slade,” chided Wintergreen, chuckling. Slade growled underneath his breath, but his expression softened anyway. “I want you to have faith in the future. I’m not asking for anything else. I simply want you to have faith that no matter what happens, that no matter what poor choices are made, that if you have this unshakable faith that the future will be just fine, then that is what will happen.”

“That’s _impossible_ ,” snapped Slade coldly. “Simply believing that the future will be fine won’t _make_ it fine. You’re getting senile, Will. It’s disturbing.”

“And yet, Slade, _you_ —” Wintergreen pointed at him. “—are the one coming to _me_ for advice.”

Slade sighed, putting his face into his hands. For a long moment, Slade was still. Then, he shook his head, sighing once again. “You are strong, Will. Too strong. You're the one who should’ve been immortal.”

“I am old. I have learned quite a few things through the years. If I’d been immortal, my common sense would’ve stopped aging like someone else we know.”

Slade chuckled under his breath, but he turned it into a good natured growl. “What, so, all this wisdom is from old age and because you’re a Christian? I just assumed it was from senility.”

Wintergreen gave him an almost all knowing smile, but he didn’t take the bait. “There are always more answers than questions, we just don’t know them all. I am but an old man. I’m bound to be more than one thing.”

“I don’t understand,” whispered Slade.

“Sometimes the mere act of believing is a power of all its own. Trust me in this, Slade. No matter the darkness, no matter how terrible and deep it might seem, there is _always_ a greater amount of light to counterbalance it. There is always hope. There is always a chance for a better future.”

Wintergreen stood up. He placed a hand on Slade’s shoulder, causing him to look up at the old man. There was a gentle squeeze.

“So, have a little faith, Slade. You can’t know the good without the bad.”

The hand lifted away, leaving Slade feeling at a loss once again. He watched in silence as the old man began to pull things out for dinner. There was a spring in his step, one Slade couldn’t understand.

“I think we’ll go with tacos tonight. What do you think?” asked Wintergreen, glancing back at Slade with a warm smile. Slade only nodded and the smile beamed. “Good! While the children have dinner, I think you should have yours with Dick. I think that will cheer him up immensely. You two need a little father and son time without anything alarming happening.”

Slade was overcome with the feeling that Wintergreen knew Dick’s attacker had been taken care of, one way or another.

“I’ll watch over the others,” continued Wintergreen. “You just take care of Richard.”

Once again, Slade felt eternally grateful for this old man.

A half an hour later, Slade was in Dick’s room while the others were eating at the kitchen table. In some ways, it was a relief not to face the others. He wasn’t sure if could handle it and he certainly did _not_ want to hear any more backtalk from Cyborg.

Slade set the two plates of homemade tacos onto the desk. Dick was still asleep, the kitten unmoving in her perch, but very much asleep. Guarding a sleeping boy required a lot of energy, after all. Yes, that was sarcasm. Slade snorted to himself again. He sat down on the edge of the bed. The kitten peeked an eye open before she resumed her sleep.

Slade carded a hand through Dick’s hair, before gently patting him on the cheek.

“Dick, wake up. Come on, wake up, son,” whispered Slade. There was a great amount of fear in his heart, worrying that Dick might never awaken from this. Thus, the relief flooded through Slade’s veins when he saw that crystal blue color as the boy’s eyes slowly opened.

Dick rubbed at his eyes, looking disoriented.

“Dad?” There was another rub. “What… What time is it?”

“It’s dinnertime,” whispered Slade. “Are you hungry?”

Dick continued rubbing, his hands now dragging over his cheeks. Finally, he looked at Slade, his brow furrowed with confusion.

“How long…”

The kitten removed herself from her perch and butted against the boy’s chin. She purred loudly, just as Dick’s eyes lit up at the sight of her.

“Kuroi,” whispered Dick, the happiness overflowing in his voice. His hand reached up and stroked her fur. She delighted in the ministrations. “Hey, girl. I missed you.”

Slade watched the exchange, his heart lifting with the boy’s happiness. He grabbed a plate from the desk and hovered it over Dick’s stomach.

“Why don’t you sit up?” asked Slade. “Do you need help?”

Dick shook his head. He attempted to sit up by himself, but there was a visible strain on his face. Kuroi mewled in protest, but she pulled away, knowing that it was inevitable that her perch would move. Surprise and concern flooded the boy’s features when he couldn’t sit up on his first try. He struggled to sit up, determination overpowering his other emotions. But when it became obvious that his condition was more taxed than originally thought, Slade set the plate aside and helped Dick into a sitting position.

“What happened?” asked Dick. “Why am I so weak? How long have I been out of it?”

“One question at a time,” said Slade, unable to hold back the small smile on his lips. He placed the plate in Dick’s lap and retrieved his own. Dick looked a little wary at the food, but quickly ate after his first hesitations.

There was a comfortable silence as the two of them ate. Strength visibly entered the boy’s countenance as he finished off the food. It was clear that he just needed rest and good nourishment to get him back to his usual happy, energetic, and mischievous self.

It wouldn’t happen too soon for Slade.

“So… What happened?” asked Dick, looking up at him.

“You don’t remember?”

“Yeah… But…” Dick bit his lower lip, looking unsure. Slade wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulders and pulled him against his side.

“You’ve been very ill,” whispered Slade. “I believe you’ve set a record for the number of heart failures caused by a collapse.”

Dick looked sheepish, but he smiled. There was a lift to Slade’s heart as he watched Dick. The boy was still very weak, that much was apparent. But there was light in his eyes. He wasn’t going to relapse again. It was only uphill from here. For now, anyway.

“Dad,” whispered Dick, leaning against him even more. Slade brushed his hand over the boy’s forehead, carding fingers through the fringe there.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”

“Oh, Dick,” breathed Slade. He pulled the boy even closer, his arm tightening around Dick’s shoulders. He tucked the child’s head beneath his chin. “This wasn’t your fault. You’re not in trouble for being sick.”

“But I ruined Joey and Rose’s homecoming—”

“You did no such thing, you foolish child,” whispered Slade. “Now stop thinking like that.”

“ _But—_ ”

Slade withdrew his arm and clasped the boy by the face, his hands engulfing those warm cheeks. Dick looked at him with a vulnerable, childlike expression. Slade leaned down and their foreheads touched. There was a soft inhale of breath from the boy.

“You are just as much my child as Joey and Rose are,” whispered Slade, squeezing the boy’s face gently. “Don’t ever forget that. I will do everything to protect you and make sure you’re well.”

_And anything._

Light danced inside those crystal blue eyes; a mouth turned upward in the softest, gentlest of smiles. There he was, there was Slade’s son. Dick was back and he was going to get better.

Slade removed his hands before surrounding the boy in an embrace, firmly pulling Dick into his chest. Thin arms wrapped around Slade’s waist. He felt the boy bury his face there and Slade dipped his face into the boy’s hair. Dick was _alive_ and that was all that mattered.

They stayed there, unmoving, for quite some time. It was only when Dick began to fall somewhat limp that Slade withdrew from the hug. There was a content, sleepy smile on the child’s face. Slade helped Dick rest his head against his pillow. He stayed by the boy’s side, running his fingers through the boy’s hair.

Dick easily fell asleep, his chest slowly rising, and that contented expression still prevalent on his young features. Slade continued to sit by his bedside, stroking the boy’s bangs in a gentle motion. He could feel the boy’s warmth beneath his fingers. He knew that Dick would finally have a peaceful night. Of that, he had no doubt. But he still worried for the boy. Dick had been placing so much on his thin shoulders lately. There hadn’t even been time for the poor boy to mourn the betrayal of that girl.

Slade knew that it wasn’t a romantic sense, but Dick had formed a deep, caring friendship with the girl. Losing that must have been hard on him. Then, that hadn’t been enough. Dick also had to be a target of aggression. And for what reason? For what purpose?

It was like his first family all over again. The ones Slade loved were the ones who were targeted. It was _always_ his fault, it seemed.

Slade stroked the boy’s forehead once more before standing up, taking great care not to jostle the child from sleep. The kitten buried herself in the covers near the boy’s neck. She gave Slade a look that was all too telling of her position. She would watch over him.

With a small smile tugging at his mouth, Slade walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind himself with a light click. His legs led him to his own bedroom, ignoring the soft sounds of conversation that lifted down the hallway, and locked his door as he slipped into the room. The terrible weight was over his chest, like something was threatening to suffocate him. Wintergreen’s words were clear in his mind, cutting through the darkness that was overwhelming. Yet, every time he caught hold of those words of comfort, his mind dismissed it.

Slade glanced around his room. The dim lighting placed the entire room into shadows. He tore his gaze away and walked into his bathroom, stopping at the sink. He dropped his weight, leaning his hands on the porcelain countertop with his head ducked.

So much was happening and all too quickly. Slade wasn’t sure what to do any more. All he knew was he would do everything in his power to protect Dick. The boy was fragile in some ways. It seemed as if he could break at any minute, despite him being such a strong hearted child. There had been little time to enjoy the company of Joey and Rose because of the struggles of his youngest. It was certainly a strength to Slade to have their support, though, in caring for Dick this past day.

But it hadn’t been enough to help cure Dick’s issue; something _more_ had been required.

Slade lifted his head and his jaw clenched at the reflection that showed in the mirror.

He knew he’d do anything to protect his son – all his children, truly. Things had changed since the first time he’d been a father, and yet here he was making similar decisions. He wasn’t sure if he could stop himself. The only thing he could do was protect his son. That was his only focus, his only drive. He wasn’t sure if he had the power to change the future. Being immortal didn’t make him all powerful.

All he could do at that moment was glare at the reflection in the mirror, a constant reminder of the choice he had made. Was it the right one? He didn’t know. He didn’t know what was _right_ or what was _wrong_. All he knew was that he was a father and he would do everything to protect his children. He wasn’t that same mercenary so many years ago, or even mere months ago.

No, he had grown to become someone far different.

_But was that person enough?_

He clenched his fists and lifted one from the countertop. He placed it against the mirror as he stared at the hateful reflection in the mirror; wishing he could shattered the mirror and its meaning in an instant.

A simmering, red marking of an S symbol, one which had accents within the centers of the curves of the shape, was fading from Slade’s forehead.

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on January 23rd, 2015, Friday:** Chapter Twenty-One: The Mark of Scath – A few weeks pass as Dick continues to recover. Of course, all but Slade have the answer to that. Through it all, the residents of the haunt have a belated celebration of Raven’s birthday; hearts finally finding peace. However, further clues are unveiled and Wintergreen gives Slade a little gift to combat what the future may bring.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Sorry for the late in the day posting. I’ve been ill again and it was difficult to get this out. /falls over
> 
> Aha, I’ve been waiting for this chapter. The end of this chapter had been planned since the beginning – actually, even during the release of _Forgotten Bonds_. It’s that old. Oh… I suppose my readers can figure some things out. Hm? As I’ve said, I’m unpredictably predictable and predictably unpredictable. Hehe.
> 
> All right, Dickie’s recovery is upon us. Poor baby. And just in time for the end of the world, too. XD
> 
> I’m sad to say that this is the last post of the year 2014. I fell ill again and it’s been quite rough. Again. Unfortunately, things just take me longer. Everything is a struggle and sometimes it just hard to even process anything. I desperately wanted to release my novel this year, but it’s not going to happen. I couldn’t even finish Nano. O…O (I did manage to organize the second book and finish a few chapters in it, so that’s something.) Even if I didn’t meet my deadline, I’ll keep going. Slowly, but surely. 
> 
> I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays, along with a Happy New Year. Thank you for always reading, even if you don’t leave a review. Sometimes the only that keep me going is knowing that I have readers who look forward to my words. I haven’t ever seen any of your faces, yet I always think, “I have to finish this for them!” So, thank you and I hope you all have a lovely holiday season. *huggles*
> 
> _Anthy_


	22. Whispered Unity

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Whispered Unity**

 

**June 2nd, 2009. Tuesday, 7:21 am.**

Sweat beaded down Dick’s temples. He drew in a long, shaky breath. His hand, which rested against the wall, curled against the surface. He stared at his purpose and design, giving it a glare despite its inanimate nature.

He was dead determined to do this by himself. He did _not_ need anyone’s help. He did _not_ need anyone to hold his hand. And he certainly _did not_ need anyone to oversee this!

Whose idiotic and brilliant idea was it to make the bathroom so far away?

Of course, for any normal person, the distance was perfectly acceptable. But Dick was everything but normal, it seemed, and it was _frustrating_. He _hated_ this. He couldn’t understand it. Why was he so weak? He’d only been sick for less than twenty-four hours, according to the reports he gained from the various visitors to his room. And that had been over a week ago!

He knew his nightmares had something to do with it. But it shouldn’t have been this bad. He also knew that he’d been injected with two sedatives and one serum. But for crying out loud, the serum was supposed to _strengthen_ him, not weaken him beyond measure!

Huh, that was the other puzzling thing to all this: the nightmares had stopped completely.

Dick drew in another deep breath, using the new air to steady himself. Focus on the task at hand. Bathroom. Had to make it there during _this_ century. Kuroi was watching him from beside his feet, her blue eyes glittering. She didn’t move ahead of him, nor did she fall back. She took each step with him. Dick was thankful for her presence, glad that his father had brought her back from the Tower.

She was the only one in this blasted place that didn’t hover over him as if he were a delicate glass flower. She let him be, but there was the undeniable surety that she was watching over him. He needed that.

Dick took a step forward, his limbs aching in their protest. He leaned against the wall, putting his entire weight onto it. He’d have to rest for a minute. Just a few more steps and he could do what any normal, healthy person could do – go to the bathroom.

Who knew it would be so satisfying doing this by himself? It was utterly ridiculous, it was.

“ _Richard Jonathon Grayson!_ —” Dick’s shoulders bolted upward in a startled, guilty flinch, like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. “—What do you think you’re doing out of bed?!”

Dick groaned and _thumped_ his head against the wall. He felt the soft body of the kitten rub against his ankle. There was a protesting mewl.

“Will, I’m just going to the bathroom. _By myself_.”

“You’ll do no such thing!” cried Wintergreen.

There was one good point to Kuroi’s presence, at the moment. The old man wasn’t going to get too close and force him back to bed – or worse, help him to the toilet. The kitten let out a low, gentle hiss of warning.

“Yes, yes, you mangy furball,” scolded Wintergreen. “But Richard is still ill and I don’t need your interference, you silly feline. Now, Richard, get your bodyguard to move away.” There was another hiss. When Dick didn’t move – not really in an act of defiance, but of exhaustion – there was an exasperated huff of air. Dick waited a moment, before he turned his head. The old man had vacated the room. Aha! Score one for the cat. Now, if he could only get to that door…

“Dick!”

_Ah, dang it!_

Dick had little time to regain any strength or footing, before his vision was completely overcome by his extremely tall father. Slade grabbed him by the shoulders and – Dick wasn’t about to admit it out loud – saved him from pitching forward to his knees. Dick let out a huff, a mixture of a relieved and annoyed sigh.

“What are you doing out of bed?” asked Slade, the worry overflowing in his tone. “You know not to get up on your own.”

“Dad,” began Dick decidedly; placing a hand on the man’s upper arm. He hoped he wasn’t too obvious by the way he was now fully relying on Slade’s strength. “I am just going to the bathroom.”

“You should’ve called for help.”

“ _Dad_ ,” said Dick with a hissing growl in his throat. “I would like to do this _by myself_. I can go to the bathroom without any—”

As fate would have it, the vertigo caught up with Dick, ceasing all words in his throat. His knees gave out completely. His weight fell dead as he dropped his head forward, gasping as the wave of weakness washed over him like a tsunami. If Slade hadn’t been holding him by the shoulders, Dick would’ve fallen to the floor.

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance. He swooped Dick up into his arms – much to Dick’s unhappy, yet quiet protest. When Slade turned away from the bathroom, however, Dick voiced it louder.

“Dad, what does a guy have to do around here to pee in peace!?”

A second later, Dick was horrified with himself that he had actually said that out loud. His face burned. Of course, it didn’t help much, now that Slade was shaking with suppressed chuckles.

“Oh, _yeah_ , real funny, Dad,” drawled Dick, wiggling inside the man’s arms in spite of himself. “Laugh at the kid with the bursting bladder here. You are so cruel.”

There was a loud mewl.

“All right, all right,” said Slade through his chuckles, turning back around. He strode to the bathroom, much to Dick’s relief. As much as he had wanted to make the journey on his own, it was now a pressing matter.

The relief was complete when Slade crossed the threshold of the bathroom door. The kitten trailed behind them, her tail lifted high. Dick was set onto the closed toilet seat. Dick was grudgingly thankful for the ride. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t have made it on his own – at least in time and that would’ve been _extremely_ awkward.

He looked up at Slade expectantly when the man didn’t move.

“Well?” asked Dick, beautifully impertinent. “Are you gonna get out already?”

Slade’s eyebrow lifted. “And leave you to your mischief? I think not.”

“Dad! Get out!”

There was a snort. “All right, but call me when you’re done.”

Dick didn’t answer, but waited impatiently for the man to leave him alone finally. Once Slade left the bathroom, Dick stared at the open bathroom door.

“Dad, for crying out loud, _close the freaking door!_ ”

He heard the man chuckling at him. It was annoying. But he finally obtained his request and the bathroom door was blessedly closed from intruders. Dick breathed a sigh of relief. It took him a few moments to regain his strength, before he could stand up.

“Don’t watch me,” whispered Dick indignantly, when he noticed the bright eyes of the kitten staring at him. She didn’t move, as if to say that someone had to watch over him. He rolled his eyes. Obviously everyone in this place thought he needed an entourage for this.

Once Dick was done, he decided what would really hit the spot would be a long, warm bath. It was a struggle to get to the bathtub, but he was lucky it was close to the toilet. He got the water running, finally. He noticed Kuroi kept a wary distance once the water started.

He was just about to take off his shirt when Slade barged into the bathroom – well, the man merely opened the door, but it certainly had glorious timing.

“ _Dad!_ ” protested Dick hotly. “ _Geez_ , what do I have to do to get a little privacy?! What is _wrong_ with you?!”

Slade put his hands onto his hips and didn’t look pleased. “Don’t start with me, son. You’ve been incredibly weak for days now. What do you expect? I don’t trust you not to get hurt pushing yourself to the extremes. Least thing I need is for you to trip and crush your chin, or something. _Of course_ , I’m going to be watchful over you. Now stop being so difficult.”

“I just want this to be over,” said Dick, pouting somewhat. “I can’t do anything for myself any more – I’m going crazy!”

“I know,” said Slade with a sigh. “But you’re going to have to give yourself time to recover.”

“I don’t even understand what happened,” protested Dick. “Why is it so hard to go to the bathroom or take a shower? I just want to be back to normal. It’s not fair.”

There was another sigh as Slade shook his head. “I _know_. Just let me help you for now. Come on.”

Dick leaned back slightly, trying very hard not to curled his arms around his chest like a girl. Oh, but it was difficult. His privacy was already being infringed on. The way Slade was stepping forward, Dick knew he wasn’t going to like the man’s next suggestion.

“I can do this by myself—”

“I think we’ve already established that you are _not_ ready to be independent,” said Slade, his eyebrow raised. “Now stop fussing. It’s not like I haven’t seen you before.”

“ _Not stark naked!_ ” cried Dick, reddening deeply. He hated this. He didn’t need this _at all_. He didn’t need help changing or getting into the bathtub. And, no, he would _not_ slip; he was perfectly stable in his balance.

Okay, yeah, he’d probably slip, due to his weakness. But he really didn’t want to strip down in front of his father – it was downright embarrassing! This freaking weakness was bad enough without the rest of his dignity being stripped from him – _literally_.

“Oh, good grief, boy, it’s not like you have anything I haven’t seen before nor don’t have myself.”

Dick went beet red. He spluttered, unable to word his thoughts coherently, until he finally gasped out, “D–D– _Dad!_ ”

Well, after a bit of coaxing and a ton of protesting, Slade managed to convince Dick otherwise – provided that Slade closed his eye when assisting Dick into the bathtub. Although, Dick was positive he heard the man mutter under his breath about overly modest imps.

Yeah, yeah, _yeah_ , just because some countries preferred to bathe together, didn’t mean Dick had to – _heck, no_. It was one thing to go swimming with friends and a completely different story swimming in the buff in public. No, thank you.

And it had _nothing_ to do with the fact that he was still a scrawny teenager – despite the lean muscle he had – with no chest hair to speak of; absolutely nothing to do with that, obviously. _Of course not_. _Mhm_.

The water was warm and that warmth seeped into his skin, much to his delight. He closed his eyes, sighing deeply. It eased the achiness he’d been feeling the past few days. It made him feel even more weak, though. Dick wanted nothing more than to lie back and go to sleep; the water was that perfect.

Something cold dropped into the center of his head. Dick’s eyes flittered open. The water’s surface was broken and Dick felt water being lightly splashed onto his head. Large hands began to massage his hair with gentleness.

“You don’t have to,” murmured Dick, closing his eyes as he was rocked by the motions. There was a noncommittal noise from the man, but nothing more. Dick found himself allowing it. He was too tired now, anyway. Trying to walk to the bathroom had taken a lot out of him, along with changing and getting into the tub. It was time for a nap. He’d argue about this later.

_Yes… Much later…_

Slade stayed silent as he washed the boy’s hair. The boy dosed through it all. Dick had no true idea of how ill he’d been. He shouldn’t be this tired. Slade wasn’t sure why the boy didn’t remember, but he had no recollection of his attacks. He didn’t remember screaming in agony. He didn’t remember thrashing like a possessed beast. He didn’t remember coughing up blood. Thus, it was easy for Dick to complain about wanting to be back at full health.

He didn’t realize just how close to Death’s door he’d been.

That was why all the other occupants were so watchful over the boy. Being a witness of one of those attacks was enough to scare any person out of their wits.

And it was obvious they had greatly affected Dick. It’d been a over a week now and there was still little recovery in his strength. It was slow, unnaturally slow. Slade also couldn’t help but wonder if this was a direct result of using the wrong serum.

Whatever it was, the only thing he could do for his son was to take care of him.

Dick was half asleep during his bath. He was exhausted, there was no doubt there. Once Slade was finished with the boy’s hair, he was careful to rinse the shampoo out. He soaped the boy’s torso a bit, but not overly so, knowing that the boy was sensitive to his boundaries. Once all soap and shampoo had been rinsed away, Dick was one very sleepy prune.

Slade pulled the boy out of the tub, careful to wrap a towel around him to avoid getting chilled. He toweled him off swiftly, before putting the boy in a bathrobe. Then, Dick was scooped into his arms. The boy murmured softly as Slade carried him back to bed.

A few moments later, Dick was settled inside his covers. His hair was still a little damp, but it would be all right. For a time, Slade sat at the boy’s bedside, just watching him; watching that chest rise and fall with every deep breath.

Even though Slade knew the enemy was gone from the Tower, he never mentioned it to the Titans. Though he would’ve claimed them to be the bane of his life, he didn’t evict them from his home. After what had happened, Slade wasn’t about to let them be alone in that tall, dark tower – if anything were to happen to them, Dick would be devastated.

No, Slade wasn’t worried about those brats.

 _Of course not_.

Nonetheless, Slade didn’t want anyone setting foot into the Tower. He didn’t want any of the children near what had been there. He wouldn’t be able to sleep, that much he could admit. It was too dangerous; _too evil_.

For now, all they could hope for was Dick’s speedy recovery.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 11th, 2009. Thursday, 7:00 pm.**

“What’s going on?” asked Dick, as Slade unwrapped his comforter. The man didn’t say anything. Dick was then bundled up in a soft fleece throw and lifted into his father’s arms.

Without a doubt, it was delightfully soft and snuggly. Dick couldn’t help but relish in the warmth. The blanket was one he hadn’t ever seen before and it was incredibly soft. To be wrapped up in it and held securely in Slade’s arms – _yeah_ , Dick was enjoying it. He leaned against Slade’s chest, sighing slightly.

“Will has planned a little something special for your friend, now that your recovery is moving along. Something about a belated party for the birthday girl.”

The man’s voice rumbled inside his chest, sending pleasant tremors into Dick’s ear. He smiled, glad about the party for Raven.

It was a little strange to be carried down a hallway that he had always been able to walk down on his own. The man who held him seemed to cross the distance far easier than he’d ever been able to – probably the tall legs. Kuroi managed to keep up with the man, though; her tail high and proud.

Another week had passed and still Dick was having little progress – really, it seemed like _no_ progress to him, but he _finally_ could make it to the bathroom without an escort. However, by the time he came back, he was exhausted again. He couldn’t get through a bath without dosing off. He was sleeping fifteen hours a day and could barely spend any time of his waking hours on his feet – or really just sitting up.

It was _frustrating_.

He wanted to go back to being _normal_. When would this end? Sure, it’d only been two weeks, but still, he was going insane. The slow progress felt as if it had come to a standstill. Just walking around shouldn’t be that hard. He wanted to be on his feet. He didn’t want to be tired any more. He wanted to enjoy his friends being over – which seemed to be permanent for the time being. He wanted to talk to Joey and Rose more often.

But he couldn’t do all that as easily as he wanted. Of course, he had visitors. Certain ones stayed longer than others. In fact, his least frequent visitor was Cyborg. He tried to ask what was wrong with the older teen, but no one would tell him anything. Any time he asked for the eldest Titan, weird and awkward glances would be exchanged, before the conversation was quickly diverted to a new topic – much to Dick’s annoyance.

That was the thing he hated the _most_ about this. Everyone treated him like he was about to break. He was Robin, for crying out loud! He didn’t need people walking on eggshells around him. Tell it to him straight, _please_. So Cyborg was avoiding him. So what. Somebody tell him _why_ , so he could _fix it_.

But it was obvious no one was going to speak up. Dick was going to have to find a way to corner Cyborg. But considering he was at the mercy of being carried everywhere like a little child, he had no idea when that was going to be.

Dick sighed to himself, somewhat irritably, but without much conviction. Well, there was one perk to being carried.

 _It was warm_.

The kitchen was quiet and empty when they entered. Dick rarely was allowed out of his room, due to his weakness. He’d been able to eat a meal here and there with everyone, but he always fell asleep before he could finish. He missed the kitchen. _A lot_.

“Where is everyone?” asked Dick, noticing the emptiness.

“Family room.”

As Slade walked through the open door to the basement, Dick closed his eyes, feeling the height he was being carried at. He knew he was safe and Slade wouldn’t ever drop him, but for once in his life, the height was somewhat unsettling. Normally, it never bothered him. Perhaps, now it was because he wasn’t in control of it.

He was simply helpless now, yet safe in the arms of his father.

He loved the safeness that he felt, but the helpless feeling, he could do without. Nonetheless, there was a warm glow in his chest at the thought of the _family_ room. It meant his friends would be there. It meant his family, his siblings, would be there.

_He was part of a family again._

A few moments later, Slade had reached the bottom of the stairs and had crossed the expanse of the basement.

There was a medley of voices that flowed from the open door of the family room. Dick felt his face heat up over the fashion he was arriving, but he didn’t have much time to dwell on it.

“ _Dick!_ ” A number of voices called his name at the same time. There was a delighted cry as Starfire flew in front of the two of them, her entire body floating in the air.

“Oh, Dick, it is glorious to see you out of bed.”

The color in Dick’s face intensified.

“Thanks, Star. It’s good to be out of it.”

Once Starfire backed away, Slade walked to the couch and set Dick near the end, with the arm of the couch supporting his back. Then, he was tucked in completely to the extreme. There was a gentle moment where Dick’s gaze connected with him during the man’s ministrations. Slade squeezed his leg, the light in that single eye tender and soft.

“Don’t move,” said Slade, patting his leg. Dick gave him a wry, mischievous grin.

“Yes, sir.”

There was a loud mewl and then Dick’s lap was filled with a black kitten. There was another mewl, before a green kitten leapt into his lap. Dick laughed and petted both kittens, each purring happily.

“Good to see you, too, Beast Boy.”

It appeared, however, that Kuroi was very possessive of her master – or servant, depending on who one asked. She pounced on the green kitten, before playfully chomping down on his ear. Beast Boy yelped. He tried to pull away, but Kuroi overpowered him. Soon, the hierarchy was established, which left Dick laughing so hard, his side hurt.

“Geez, your cat is crazy!” cried Beast Boy a second later, fully human, as he rubbed his ear. The boy rolled to Dick’s side, still rubbing his abused ear. Kuroi stared at him, her eyes unblinking.

“No, she’s a cat,” said Raven. She came to the couch and sat down next to Beast Boy, while giving Dick a thin, but visible smile. Then, it faded when she poked Beast Boy in the ribs. There was another yelp. “And she’s protective of her master. She was simply telling you who’s boss. You best listen to her or she won’t like you.”

Beast Boy grumbled under his breath, while Kuroi looked extremely pleased at herself – for a cat, that is.

Wintergreen chuckled. He came to the couch and placed a hand onto Dick’s shoulder. There was a gentle squeeze. “It’s good to see you out of that bedroom, Richard. But I want you to take it easy, all right?”

“Sure thing, Will,” said Dick, smiling. Then, he looked over at Raven and gave her a big, grinning smile. “Happy belated Birthday, Raven.”

“Thank you, Dick,” said Raven, the light in her eyes bright.

Soon, Starfire sat down at Dick’s free side, while Cyborg sat next to Raven. At the end of the five seat sofa, Joey was sitting about a foot from the arm, where Rose had planted herself next to him; her legs dangling over the arm with her upper body in his lap. Smiling at the sight, Dick gave them a shy wave. Rose didn’t notice, as she was solely focused on her older brother, chattering away about how he’d make a good pillow, while employing him to be just that. Joey smiled at Dick, giving him a wink.

Chatter and conversation filled the room around Dick. It was a bit more animated than it normally was when it resided in his bedroom. Dick was in the middle of it, his friends on both sides. He glanced up at Slade, who was leaning against the wall. He grinned at the man, which was returned in the man’s usual style – a smirk.

Except, there was something soft in the man’s eye.

The coffee table became covered with food, with Wintergreen taking a few trips. He refused any and all help, and he scolded Dick for suggesting that _he_ give any assistance. Well, Dick tried. Unfortunately, Wintergreen had little say when Starfire flew above him and began to help bring things to the table. In the end, the old man had no choice but to give into her.

Dick tried to eat some of the food, but his stomach wasn’t able to hold much. But he enjoyed himself. The laughter, the voices, everything made him feel normal again. Multiple times, he tried to talk with Cyborg, but the older teen didn’t really pick up on it – or refused to.

“Cyborg, are you all right?” asked Dick finally. “You don’t look… happy.”

Of course, that question seemed to lower the sound in the room. Dick winced. Raven’s lips thinned as she raised an eyebrow at the oldest teen.

“Well, no. I’m not exactly happy,” said Cyborg with an irritated grumble. He narrowed his eyes at Slade and jabbed a finger toward the man. “ _He_ won’t let us out. He’s keeping us hostage here!”

Dick laughed weakly. So, _that_ was it. Dick couldn’t stop the exhaling breath of relief. He’d been afraid all this time that it was something to do with him. Cyborg angry at Slade, that Dick could handle. Cyborg angry at Dick, well, that was another story. He hated the last time they had fought together. He didn’t want to go through that again.

“Grow up, Cyborg,” said Raven, nudging the older teen in the ribs. “The Tower isn’t safe, you know that.”

Cyborg let out a huff, folding his arms petulantly. It became apparent that he was trying to pick a fight. His eyebrow lifted slightly. “Terra is left all alone in there, too.”

Beast Boy’s eyes went wide, just as Starfire let out a gasp. However, before there were any complaints about it, Slade’s voice rang through the group. “No, she’s not,” he said, his tone firm. “I brought her back with the cat and worm.

“You did?” said Beast Boy, looking both surprised and relieved. Dick was sure he was the only one who caught Slade’s term for Silkie. “Where is she?”

“The dungeon,” deadpanned Slade airily.

“You put Terra in the dungeon!?” cried Dick, thoroughly aghast at the thought. “You can’t do that!”

“Well, I did. So, apparently, I can,” drawled Slade.

“But what if she wakes up by herself? She’ll be depressed and offended that she’s in a dungeon.”

“Oh, well.”

“ _Dad_.”

The man let out an exasperated sigh. “Where else would I put someone who betrayed and attacked you?” he snapped. “Have some common sense!”

Well, the man had a point, one which no one argued further. Though Dick was appalled by her location, he knew it was probably best for now, at least until he convinced Slade otherwise, anyway. He wasn’t going to let her stay there forever. A controlled room, that was fine, but she needed to be somewhere nice.

The evening continued without any more drama. Dick noticed that Cyborg was beginning to tolerate Slade, but there was still an element of animosity between them. Slade tended to ignore the teen, unless Cyborg tried to bait him – which was happening often.

Of course, every time that happened, Slade would retort with a sarcastic remark, making Cyborg go red with either embarrassment or anger, while everyone else chuckled.

Through it all, Cyborg maintained his distance, making Dick wonder if maybe he _had_ done something wrong. With a group this big, it was hard to connect with the older teen. Perhaps Cyborg was just having an off night… off two weeks, then.

Dick knew he wasn’t going to let this slide for much longer.

Overall, the belated party for Raven’s birthday was fun, even causing her to blush a few times when the attention landed on her. Food was gobbled up, cake and ice cream were inhaled, and games were played. A number of piñatas had met their demise this evening, along that Beast Boy lookalike – much to the young boy’s chagrin. In the end, Kuroi became busy with attacking the fallen pieces on the floor.

And Dick… Well, after being fed lots of cake and ice cream – but not much to his normal eating standards – he’d fallen asleep and was resting against Slade’s side on the couch. Just over two hours and the boy was out like a light. Thus, with Dick asleep, the volume in the room lowered. No one seemed to mind much.

Slade couldn’t help but be concerned about it still. It’d been over two weeks now, since the strange attacks had ceased. Where this constant weakness came from, he wasn’t sure. At the rate Dick was going, he wouldn’t return to normal within months, even years. Yes, he could walk to the bathroom, but the return trip had Dick shaking like a leaf and asleep within a half an hour. No strength had been gained since that milestone, but he didn’t mention this to the boy. Dick was already having difficulty being weak. He thought he was recovering, but if he knew…

Slade pushed all thoughts out of his mind. It was getting late now – for Dick anyway – and it was time to take him back to bed. Slade slipped his arms beneath the boy’s knees and back, lifting him in his arms. Giving a nod to the others, Slade walked to the door of the family room.

“We’ll come with you,” whispered Rose, tagging along behind Slade, with Joey behind her. Slade nodded silently, smiling lightly.

Minutes later, Dick was tucked into bed. The boy had turned onto his side in his sleep, his back facing them. Slade carded his fingers through Dick’s bangs. The boy stayed asleep, his breathing deep. Slade was glad the boy had fun after so much time cooped up in his room. He had smiled more during the past two hours than he’d had in two weeks. It was so nice to see that smile once more.

 _“You’re so gentle with him,”_ said Joey, as he sat down onto the edge of the bed. Slade took a seat in the desk chair, while Rose stood at the doorway, leaning against the wall.

“He’s… a little like you,” whispered Slade. “I learned – not quickly enough, though – that being harsh wasn’t good for him. It’s one of the things he’s… he’s taught me.”

Rose smiled kindly. Joey, however, didn’t smile. He looked at the sleeping frame, his lips thinning somewhat. His jaw clenched, before he turned his gaze to the floor.

“Joey, what’s wrong?” asked Slade, watching his son withdraw into himself. He’d seen Joey do this as a child and was surprised to see it again in the young man. Joey shook his head, but he let out a low sigh.

 _“It’s just hard,”_ whispered Joey. His hands trembled visibly. _“I’m not trying to be difficult, it’s just… maybe it’s a little aggravating. Not really that harsh, but… I mean, it’s surprising to see you be so gentle with someone… Someone else. You weren’t like this with any of us.”_

Slade could hear it; the underline hurt was hinted within the young man’s tone. He winced, knowing it was the truth. Dick had brought out a side in Slade that hadn’t existed before. Five years ago, being soft or gentle was unheard of for Slade.

 _“You’re a different person now,”_ continued Joey softly. _“And I understand that. People change. I did. I had to, for Rose’s sake. Mom couldn’t handle it. She became bitter and resentful about everything. Rose was withdrawn and silent for the first few years – she would talk some to me, not a lot, though.”_

Those green eyes filled with deep pain.

_“But it was hard. I had to be strong by myself. I couldn’t really rely on Mom. If I failed, Rose would do something stupid or crazy. Probably both.”_

“You’ve grown into an exceptional man,” said Slade, his voice low and quiet. “I couldn’t have…”

Slade trailed off, unsure of what to say. Any words felt thick and heavy in his mouth. There was no excuse for the past and there hadn’t gone a single day in his life where he hadn’t regretted it. In a way, he had given up on the past. He couldn’t have his first family. Somehow, having an apprentice had been the next best thing.

And then, along the way, it had all changed. All because of one special boy.

 _“I know that. But I had to grow into that man without your help. Then, to see you with Dick…”_ There was a soft sigh. _“I don’t resent you or Dick for it. I know that he needs you. It’s written in his very soul, it’s so apparent. You’re the same. You need him just as much, if not more. He’s been so good for you.”_

Slade wanted to object. He wanted to say that he sacrificed everything for Dick. It was the boy who needed him. Why, Slade was still trying to figure it out. But surely he didn’t _need_ the boy. Love – oh, yes, he loved that child. He cared deeply for Dick, the special boy who had wormed his way into Slade’s heart.

But _needing_ him in his life was completely different.

_Wasn’t it?_

_“It still hurts,”_ whispered Joey. He looked down at his hands. _“Maybe I’m a little jealous. ‘Why couldn’t it have been me who changed you?’ I can’t help but think that. ‘What does Dick have that I don’t? What could I have done to be a better son?’ I just—”_

Slade stood up abruptly and completed the distance between them. He grabbed Joey by the shoulders, startling the young man from his speaking. Slade was frozen for a moment, his mind whirling with emotion. Words were locked in his throat. But the horror of what Joey was bearing on his shoulders was too much. Slade had to correct it. He couldn’t let his son think such things.

He squeezed Joey’s skin. Then, he knelt down in front of him. Joey sucked in his breath, his eyes going wide as he stared down at Slade.

_“Dad, what—”_

“Listen to me,” whispered Slade, his voice choking up. “I want you both to listen _very carefully_.” He glanced at Rose briefly, before he swallowed once and faced his now eldest living son. “Joey, it was never you. It was never Grant. It was never Rose. The problem has _always_ lied with me. _I_ was the mistake.” Slade’s voice cracked, the sound low and hoarse. Vulnerability entered Joey’s features and for a moment, he looked younger than his years. “I never realized what I had until I lost it. Then, it was too late. My mistakes weren’t something trivial as spending too much time at the office. My mistake cost me a son and a daughter. I spent years thinking I had killed my own children. My mistake cost you your beautiful voice. You always wanted to be a musician and I took that from you.”

Slade exhaled. He took a moment to gain control over the whirling emotions. His eye didn’t burn, however. These weeks were taking their toll on Slade. The utter fear of losing Dick, of losing another son, was almost too much for him to bear. He couldn’t even believe he had lived through it the first time. The mere thought that he could’ve lost Dick –even now, the fear was true – paralyzed every sense he bore in his soul.

Maybe Joey was right: Slade did need that boy.

“Even now, I keep making the same mistakes,” whispered Slade hoarsely. “I’m not sure if intent matters when my actions overshadow it, but now, everything I do is for my family. Joey, I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have you and Rose here. I know I should’ve been a better father and I know I can’t make up for lost time, but I’d like to start here and now with you – if you’ll let me.”

Slade glanced over at Rose. She watched him with tears in her eyes. “If you both will let me,” he added, his voice soft.

There were sniffles. Rose nodded and rushed to him. She fell at his side, throwing her arms around him. Her quiet sobs shook Slade’s chest. There were shuddering breaths from Joey, before he fell into the other available side of Slade’s chest. Thus, that was how Slade was kneeling on the floor, his arms filled with the two people he had wronged the most, but had obviously forgiven him.

_Dick, you need to get well soon. We need your smiles, your laughter, your hugs – we need your light, since that was what led my broken family back together._

Slade held his two children. After a few minutes passed, both Rose and Joey pulled away from the hug. Eyes glistened from shed tears in those two faces. Slade reached out to both and wiped them away with his thumbs.

“I love you both very much,” whispered Slade.

It was a bittersweet moment, since those words had never been spoken to these two. Dick had certainly trained him well, though beware to anyone who said it out loud. Nonetheless, it was true. Slade could remember how difficult it’d been saying those words to Adeline. It wasn’t until Dick said it over and over, watching him with those expectant bright eyes, that Slade learned to speak them from the bottom of his heart. The old man was right, he was a man of action.

Sadly, his actions had proven otherwise.

He hoped to make up it now.

The effect of those words were apparent in their expressions. The bitter was in the shock; the sweet was in the tears of thankfulness.

“Me, too,” cried Rose softly. “I love you, too, Dad.”

Joey nodded, his neck clenching in the effort to stay strong. His blessed voice was still choked. _“I love you, Dad.”_

There was a soft laugh, one of pure contented joy. Slade squeezed their cheeks, tears piling above his fingers.

“Look at us, on the floor, my two children crying,” said Slade, smiling at them. “Will would wonder if something bad happened and be the first to blame me for it.”

Rose shook her head, her eyes filled with a bright light. “No, everything is perfect.”

After another hug at that, Slade helped the two to their feet, wincing slightly as his knees cracked. He knew it was impossible to grow old and achy, but sometimes his bones seemed to creak on him. He flexed his muscles, before pulling Joey and Rose into another hug.

“You two make a father proud,” said Slade. “Thank you for being there for Dick. I think he really enjoys having siblings.”

“I’m finally not the baby any more,” whispered Rose, grinning. “I get to be an older sister and bug him to death about it.”

Slade chuckled. He squeezed them once more, pulling away. “Good night, you two.”

 _“Are you going to stay long?”_ asked Joey, as the two of them stood at the door.

Slade glanced over at Dick, his sleeping frame rising and falling. He nodded. “For a bit.”

Joey smiled, putting an arm around Rose. She waved as Joey said, _“Good night, Dad.”_

The room fell silent once the two of them left. Slade sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. When he reached the short fur that grew on his chin, he tugged on it lightly. He walked to the desk chair and pulled it closer to the bed. He sat there, watching Dick breathe quietly in his sleep.

Slade frowned. At least, he had assumed the child been asleep. His eye narrowed. As he studied the boy’s frame, he saw the unmistakable sign of wakeful breathing. _Why the little…_

“My word,” drawled Slade lightly. “On the road to recovery and already getting into mischief. Eavesdropping much, Dick?”

Shoulders bunched up, before Dick rolled over to face him, a sheepish expression crossing his young features. He bit his lower lip, his bright eyes gazing at him. With that sheepish grin on his lips, his nose scrunched up.

“Are you mad?”

“No, I’m not mad,” whispered Slade, watching the light in those eyes. They were a window in the boy’s soul; so vibrant, so very much _alive_. “I’m concerned what you might think after hearing such things.”

The light changed. The boy’s eyes filled with guilt. Ah, Slade knew it. “I don’t want to take your time with them. They shouldn’t be jealous of me. I’m just… I’m just the adopted son—”

Dick’s words were cut off when Slade stood up abruptly. He knelt down in front of the bed, coming face to face with the boy lying down. Bright blue eyes widened. Slade’s hand slipped over Dick’s cheek, clasping him there. _His silly sons_ …

“Listen to me,” whispered Slade, his voice echoing the same words he’d said to Joey. Those eyes were focused solely on Slade. “Without you, there would be no time with Joey and Rose. Without you, they would not be here. Without you, none of this would’ve happened. Without you, I would’ve stayed the same man. It’s always been _you_. You are the one who changed everything, changed _me_. You are my redemption. You are not responsible for my past sins. You are responsible for making my life far better than it ever could have been.”

Tears formed in Dick’s eyes. His hand covered them, his fingers digging inside to wipe away the tears. Slade squeezed the boy’s cheek, as he battled against his own rising emotions of fear and worry.

“I just want you to be well, and healthy, and happy, _please,_ ” whispered Slade, giving out a plea in his final word. The boy still hid beneath his hand, overcome with tears. Slade leaned forward and pressed his lips against the child’s brow, the deep, longing wish for Dick to be whole once again pouring from his heart.

The hand against the boy’s cheek tingled slightly.

When Slade pulled back, he was met with a pair of glistening eyes. He smiled at Dick. Before he could say anything, hands wrapped around his neck and pulled him down into the child’s neck. It was an awkward position – mainly for Slade’s back – but he humored the boy and patted him.

“ _I love you_ ,” whispered Dick.

Blast it, the boy was going to choke him – in more ways than one. Somehow, Slade managed to maintain his demeanor. It was one thing to be overcome with emotion and a completely different story actually coming to tears. Slade could proudly say he avoided the latter. The former was another matter, however.

“Love you, too, son,” said Slade, patting the boy once more. “Now, time for you to rest, before you exhaust yourself any more.”

Dick finally let Slade go. In a brisk motion, Slade effectively ‘tucked’ the boy in, bringing the comforter to his chin. He’d deny such an action if it were ever brought up in conversation.

“Go to sleep,” said Slade, as Dick gave him a bright, yet tired smile. Slade patted the boy’s shoulder and stood up. He turned away, walking to the door, before he paused, glancing back at Dick.

“And, Dick?” began Slade, his throat going dry. “You know that through my actions, I destroyed my first family.” There was a slow nod. “Then, you should know, I will make any decision, any choice, to protect the one I have now – _no matter what_.”

Dick nodded again, frowning slightly at that. He obviously didn’t understand what Slade meant, not that he could be any clearer – it was too hard. But some of the guilt and pressure inside Slade’s heart lessened when the boy gave him a smile.

“I know. Good night, Dad.”

Slade took a deep breath as he left the boy’s room. No, that child was blissfully unaware, but Slade wasn’t sure how long that innocence would last.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 12th, 2009. Friday, 7:02 am.**

The next morning, Dick awoke with dread in his chest. He hated his morning routine of trying to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. It took him _forever_. But he was lucky. No one bothered him during his journey any more – well, Kuroi watched over him. But she was a cat, so it was fine. With a sigh, he began to push the covers away, waiting for the wave of protesting exhaustion to hit him.

It didn’t.

Dick slowly sat up, frowning heavily in confusion. With normal ease, he swung his legs over the bed. No tiredness struck. It was as it should be, like he felt every morning of his life.

He pressed his feet against the carpet of his room. He felt strength in his legs. Dick put a hand to the wall and stood up, finding that he didn’t need to hold the wall at all. With rising excitement, he walked back and forth near the bed – just in case he collapsed unexpectedly.

It appeared that he was at full health. After more than two weeks of _struggling_ to even stay awake for more than a few hours at a time, he was suddenly fine – perfectly fine, strong, whatever there was to call it. He could stand on his two feet without fear of keeling over. It didn’t make any sense.

“Dad!” shouted Dick, the excitement of the moment overflowing the unsettled feeling in his chest. His voice peaked, coming to a near scream, “ _Dad!_ ”

There was a _thump_ from the room next door. A door slammed opened, before, a second later, Slade burst into the room.

“What’s wrong? Are you all right?” demanded Slade, sounding breathless. The man was dressed, but it appeared as if he had slept in his clothes.

“That’s my question!” cried Dick. He motioned to his standing body. “There’s nothing wrong here.”

Slade frowned, shaking his head. A confused, frustrated expression crossed his features. “ _What?_ ”

“Dad, every day, I get up and try to go to the bathroom,” said Dick, his tone taking on a somewhat condescending nature. He cut it from his voice once the man’s expression darkened in warning. “Every day, it takes me over a half an hour to get there – and twenty of those minutes is me trying to get out of bed! Don’t you see? I’m fine now, like overnight!”

Slade stared at him, shock prevalent in his face. He put a hand over his mouth, dragging it downward somewhat. Then, fear pulsed through his visible eye. It wasn’t anything Dick had ever seen in the man’s face. Pure terror entered that unbending, steel grey blue eye – something that was _never_ inside there.

Suddenly, the elation Dick had felt about being perfectly healthy deflated.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time: Chapter Twenty-Three:** The Summer Solstice – Upon Dick’s instant recovery, Slade attempts to find the answer. Further clues are unveiled and as Wintergreen finds out the truth about Slade’s choice, he gives the man a little gift to combat what the future may bring. Though, the end might be closer than anyone realized.
> 
>  **Author’s Note:** Bless you all for the well wishes and for the reviews. I’m so blessed to be able to do this, so I’m thankful for you all! *huggles* Also, you will indeed find out exactly what Slade did and faced, but that’ll come later. ;)
> 
> So, even though it all, I managed to finish editing Warped Identity: Paradigms. *chuckles* Yes, you read right. IT’S COMPLETE. *falls over* I’ve had the mockup cover as my desktop for ages now. It’s going through a number of renditions, but, man, I cannot wait to hold this in my hands.
> 
> What remains to do, currently, is having Peter (my British voice reader, bless his computer soul) read it back to me, since I’m the only one proofreading it. (That’s like 20 hours of listening) Not sure when, exactly, it’ll go on Amazon just yet (Both in Kindle and Paperback formats). I have to invest in my own ISBN number, since getting a free one from CreateSpace means they show up as the publisher, when they’re not.
> 
> I’ve written it, I’ve edited it, I’ll have proofread it, I’ve designed and painted the cover, I’ll have formatted it , I’ll have manually hyphenated every page, I’ll have published it – All. By. Myself. By this point, there’s no way I’m going to have something else put their name on it. I don’t think I’ve ever realized just how much work goes into a novel. I always complained about why it takes an author 1 to 3 years to publish a book (Haven’t we all?). Good grief, it’s a TON work. XD Formatting ALONE takes hours and hours upon hair pulling hours to do. Trust me, formatting isn’t fun at all – though, the end product is. I still have to format again… *dramatically cries on any available shoulder* LOL.
> 
> Most published authors probably only deal with the writing and editing – though, some don’t even do the editing part when they need to. *twitches at the very thought* I can definitely say that this novel will be 100% all my work. So, whether it’s a hit or a flop, it’s all my work.
> 
> But, without a doubt, I am proud of what I’ve produced and that’s all that matters. :)
> 
> When this thing is finally published, I’m gonna sleep for ten days straight. XD
> 
> Also, we’re entering territory where my outline dumps are minimum, so please bear with me and my changing chapter titles/blurbs. I’m pretty sure the next chapter is going to be what I said it’s going to be, but I’m not sure yet. Have to think about this. =/
> 
> _Anthy_


	23. The Summer Solstice

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**The Summer Solstice**

 

**June 12th, 2009. Friday, 7:05 am.**

It was downright disturbing.

Slade was a man who rarely showed intense emotion – except when he was angry. True gentleness came when it was just the two of them. Though, Dick was beginning to see the man grow and increase with softness when dealing with him.

But to see unbridled fear in this man’s face… It stopped Dick’s heart; it was _terrifying_.

“Dad, what’s wrong?” asked Dick, uneasily curling his arms around his chest.

Slade didn’t answer. The man unwaveringly stared at him, as if he weren’t really looking at Dick. Then, his grey blue eye focused on him. In an instant, Slade grabbed Dick by the wrist and dragged him out of the room.

“What—?”

“Be silent.”

Dick sucked in his breath at the man’s sharp tone. He hadn’t done anything wrong, so Slade wasn’t mad _at_ him. Which meant something _else_ was wrong. Without a word, Slade pulled him in his bedroom, locking the door behind them. Dick was pulled forward, before Slade jabbed a finger towards one of the office chairs.

“Sit.”

Dick didn’t move. “Dad, what’s going on? What—”

“ _You will obey me!_ ” snapped Slade furiously, nostrils flaring “You will obey me or else you won’t like the consequences!

The man’s tone was so sharp, so filled with venom, that Dick flinched horribly. He took a step back, swallowing fearfully. Something about that tone reminded Dick of the old man – that man who was cruel, that man who wasn’t his father.

Dick’s eyes burned; his lips trembled.

“Now be quiet and sit down,” said Slade, pointing at the chair.

Dick didn’t move, yet again.

“Dad,” whispered Dick. He almost lost his control when he saw the anger rising in the man’s face, but he continued, still softly, “You’re scaring me.”

There was a sharp inhale. Upon seeing the expression on Dick’s face, the man softened. Pain crossed Slade’s features. He stepped forward, slowly approaching, but something in Dick made him recede backwards. The injury in the man’s face worsened.

“Dick…” whispered Slade. He closed his eye, taking a deep breath, before gazing at Dick. “You know I wouldn’t hurt you.”

Dick only nodded, unable to say anything. The man sighed and dragged a hand over his face. He motioned to the chair once more.

“Sit down… _please_.”

This time, Dick obeyed. He tentatively sat on the edge of the chair, gazing up at Slade with worry in his eyes. The man noticed the unease. Slade made a visible effort to calm down. He took a step closer and Dick refrained from pulling back. The man knelt down in front, placing his hands onto Dick’s middle arms.

“I need you to listen to everything I say,” said Slade, his voice low. “I need you to obey without question and on my first request.”

“There’s something wrong with me, isn’t there?” whispered Dick, his hands clenching together. “You’re not saying anything. Dad, it’s scaring me. What’s going on?”

There was a squeeze on Dick’s arms.

“I’ll tell you after I’m sure,” said Slade. “Just do as I say, _please_.”

Slade saying ‘please’ only attested to how bad it must have been. Something was wrong and Slade wasn’t going to tell him yet. Dick nodded, whispering, “ _Yes, sir_.” His growing fears weren’t alleviated when the man stood up. Dick watched as Slade began working. The man started his computer, before pulling out different things that Dick recognized were used in testing.

“Take off your shirt.”

Dick hesitated, unsure if he should listen to that request. When Slade stopped and looked at him with a pointed stare, Dick fumbled with the edges of his shirt, still stalling for time, before he finally complied with the man’s request. He sat down on the edge of the chair, biting his lower lip nervously.

It didn’t get any better when Slade started to attach things to Dick’s chest.

He’d seen them before. He shivered when the man attached the white circular object to his skin. It was cold. Dick glanced over at the computer. He could see a number of statistics on the screen. There was a heart monitor, recording his heart rate. Dick wondered if it’d go up now. There had to be something wrong, if Slade was doing this kind of testing.

Before long, there were multiple attachments on Dick’s chest, over his heart. Slade was sticking two of them to his temples, when the heart rate monitor started to increase. As Slade lifted his chin, attaching one directly in the center of Dick’s neck, he clicked his tongue.

“Calm down.”

“Yeah, sure,” drawled Dick, uneasy still. “Easy for you to say. Your dad isn’t attaching strange weird things to your chest and not saying anything about it. Break it to me easy, Dad, am I dying?”

“I’ll tell you soon.”

Not even sarcasm was working. “Doesn’t make right now any better. Oh, look, you avoided my question. That makes me feel even better.”

Dick’s heart rate rose, the monitor recording it perfectly.

“Where’d you get that sarcasm?”

“My father, who’s conveniently _still_ not explaining to me what the freaking heck’s going on!”

“Dick, I said—”

“Not telling me is freaking me out! _Ach!_ That tickles!”

“Just hold still!”

Dick had no choice but to obey that. It was awkward sitting on the edge of his seat with strange things attached to his bare chest. His throat itched and he restrained himself from scratching at the object on his skin. It was a long ten minutes, as Slade studied the statistics on his computer, when he finally sat back in his seat. Dick could almost see the invisible burden lifting from his shoulders; the relief was so powerful in his eye.

So, was everything all right now? Geez, the man had gotten his heart rate up for nothing!

“Dad… is everything fine?”

“It is.”

“So…”

“But it shouldn’t be. Yet, all your vitals are _normal_. Almost better than normal, but nothing that could be considered abnormal.”

At that, Slade leaned forward, dropping his face into his hands. He rubbed his skin for a moment, gently tugging at his goatee. Dick hesitated, before plucking the testing equipment from his skin. When the final one was removed, he grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on. Then, he pulled his chair nearer and placed a hand onto Slade’s shoulder.

“Dad, can you explain what’s going on now?”

There was a nod.

“I don’t think you understand how much you frightened us,” whispered Slade. “How much you frightened _me_ … You were very sick, coughing up blood, thrashing like a possessed beast, and even scratching, ripping at your face. You could’ve died, that’s how bad it was.”

Dick leaned closer, before he pressed his weight against the man. He could hear the fear in the man’s voice, but his body betrayed nothing.

“Coughing up blood is serious. I thought the serum I made for you would work,” continued Slade, still in a low whisper, his voice hoarse. “Except, I made a mistake. I chose the wrong syringe. Instead of giving you the specific healing serum made for you, I gave you a pure version, one untainted with anything else.”

Dick frowned. A pure version? That meant… Ugh, either way, it wasn’t lovely. But that also meant…

“You made my version for me, right? Because otherwise…”

“Otherwise, the pure version was supposed to turn one into something like me. It’s not what changed me, but I had thought that anything directly from me would create duplicate results.”

“Meaning?” whispered Dick, although he had a sinking suspicion what it was.

“I didn’t want the same thing for you,” whispered Slade hoarsely. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Immortality, when the world doesn’t share it, is a curse, not a gift from the Gods.”

Slade still didn’t look up from his hands.

“If by my mistake, I had turned you into the very thing I detest, I could never forgive myself.”

Immortality. Slade would never die. It was something Dick always found comfort in, but he hadn’t fully realized it tormented the man. He knew that he wanted a large family, one that would never leave Slade’s side as the years turned into decades, until they turned into centuries. Dick didn’t want to die and leave Slade behind.

_But…_

Dick knew he didn’t want to live forever – he knew who was waiting for him.

“But I’m not immortal, am I?” asked Dick, glancing at the screen. Slade shook his head. “But that’s good, right?”

“Of course, it is,” said Slade, lifting up from his hands. “What I can’t understand is _why_. Why hasn’t the serum changed you? By all rights, it should’ve. Instead, it only accelerated your healing. So much so, it gave you new strength. This also seemed to fuel the enemy with energy. I had to sedate you then, otherwise you would’ve harmed yourself further.”

“But I’m all right now,” said Dick. “The serum didn’t change anything, so—”

“But something _did_ ,” said Slade, interrupting him. He drew in a deep breath, the light in his eye serious. “ _Something_ healed you. It’s not normal for you to have been so ill and so weak, that it was going to take you _months_ to return to full health—don’t look at me like that; yes, it was. You just didn’t get that. Now you’re suddenly well? It’s nothing short of a—”

Slade cut off, his eye widening with a dark light. His jaw clenched. Then, his eye narrowed.

“Nothing short of a…” began Dick, knowing what the man was going to say. He paused, watching the dark emotions cross through Slade’s features. He quietly continued, “Of a miracle?”

“No, this isn’t a miracle,” snapped Slade, suddenly bolting to his feet.

“It could be—”

“There’s no such thing as miracles.”

“But Dad—”

Slade whirled around, the fury present in his eye. He pointed at Dick, before waving his hand through the air.

“There is a _logical_ explanation for your instant healing. This wasn’t some _miracle_ that some… some…”

Apparently, the man couldn’t verbalize what or who could’ve done such a miracle. Dick wasn’t close minded to the possibility. After all, his own dead mother had appeared to him – couldn’t get more open minded than that. Though, Dick figured it wasn’t a miracle, either. But he didn’t say as much. Slade was already in denial. The man was right, there had to be some reason why Dick was suddenly perfectly well.

_But then, what was it?_

“So, everything is all right, but we don’t know why,” said Dick, letting out a low sigh. He grinned impishly. “Wonderful. What’s for breakfast?”

Slade glared at him.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday,  6:37 am.**

Much to Dick’s irritation, Slade hadn’t let the boy out of his sight for the next week. The boy had wanted to leave the haunt, to go right back to that blasted hero work, without so much as _thinking_ about his health or the like. Stupid, _foolish_ child; that boy was going to give Slade heart failure.

But he soon realized that Slade wasn’t going to bend on this, no matter how much protesting occurred. One eventful ‘conversation’ happened in the vicinity of the boy’s friends, in the which, Dick acted like any normal teenager – he thought Slade wouldn’t scold him in front of witnesses.

Slade had been more than accommodating in putting _that_ notion to rest. At one particularly disrespectful moment, Slade had taken the boy by the ear and dragged him to his bedroom. Then, under no uncertain terms, told the overemotional boy if he didn’t get his act together and readjust his attitude, Slade would readjust it _for_ him – and Dick would _not_ find its outcome pleasant.

That shut the child up.

Not to mention, when the door open and found four eavesdropping friends in its wake, Slade was greatly amused by the color in Dick’s face. Well, if he had acted respectful in the _first place_ , then that wouldn’t have happened. Slade wasn’t about to lose sleep over it.

Nonetheless, the boy still begged for a day out with his friends – though, now he begged when the two of them were alone or nowhere near his friends and in a _much_ more respectful tone. Although, it was borderline whiny – far better than the ‘getting too big for his britches’ tone.

Dick didn’t know it, but Slade planned on letting the boy go out today. It’d been over a week and Dick hadn’t shown any irregular health issues. After so long, Slade really didn’t have any more excuses for not allowing Dick the freedom out.

So, Slade had already resigned himself to a long day of wondering and worrying. Blast it, he needed a constructive hobby now. Everything had been so crazy recently, he hadn’t had any time to breathe.

Though, he was pretty certain there wasn’t a future to worry about.

As Slade walked into the kitchen, intent in attempting to drown himself in some well deserved coffee, he gave the old man a nod, before turning to his task. For the first time in Slade’s life – at least the duration he’d known this old man – he heard Wintergreen utter a short string of profanity. Slade’s mouth dropped in shock as he glanced at the old man—this old man _never_ had that way with words. Wintergreen was staring at him, his eyes wide in shock.

Slade raised an eyebrow. “Will, what on earth—?”

“Slade, what is…” breathed Wintergreen, his hand lifting slightly, his wrinkled face flushing. He appeared embarrassed by his slip, but his eyes were staring at Slade’s forehead, directly at the very center…

Blast it.

Slade put a hand to his forehead, slipping his fingers towards his temples. Heat emanated from his skin, a warning sign. He gritted his teeth, knowing what it meant, before dropping his hand to his side. He gazed at Wintergreen, keeping his expression emotionless and impassive. Silence rose between them, moments passing, as Slade waited.

“Slade…” murmured Wintergreen finally, horror etched across his features. “You _didn’t_.”

Slade’s eye narrowed. “I did,” snapped Slade, glaring at the old man. More horror flashed through the old man’s face. “ _What?_ ” he snarled, defensive. “Still believe in the future now? Where’s all that blasted talk about faith and hope and _believing_ that everything will be all right?” Slade scoffed elaborately. “ _What a crock!_ ”

“I didn’t think you’d—”

“I’d _what?_ ” snarled Slade, furiously glaring now. “Your _crap_ had an expiration date on it? Limit on how _awful_ the—”

“Slade, stop!” shouted Wintergreen. He stepped forward, glancing down the hallway. No movement came from the boy’s bedroom. Wintergreen turned back to him. His tone dropped to a low whisper. “I didn’t think you’d contracted with the devil!”

Slade inhaled sharply. “You know.”

“Of course, I _know!_ ” snapped Wintergreen. He waved a hand at Slade’s forehead. “The Mark of Scath is engraved on your forehead and glowing like a light bulb—how could I _not_ know?! It’s not hard to figure out!”

“How do you know?”

“The Mark of Scath is a dreaded sign,” whispered Wintergreen. “Those who know, those who actively fight against it, know what this sign means. Slade, _what did you do?_ ”

“I did nothing,” said Slade, holding back a hiss. His jaw clenched. “I only did what I had to. I had no choice.”

“You _had_ to have done something,” insisted Wintergreen. “You don’t bear that mark without entering a _contract_ or being contracted. I can only imagine what your end of the deal is, but what do you get in return? _Why_ would you enter a contract like this?”

Slade looked away, inhaling slowly.

“Slade… there’s only one thing… You _know_ the dead can’t be brought back.”

“I get it,” snapped Slade, clipping his voice. “I know that better than anyone.”

“No, you don’t,” whispered Wintergreen. As Slade’s fury flared inside his chest, the old man continued before Slade could interject with a scathing retort. “Listen, whatever you were promised, he’s not bound by it. Trust me. Whatever he promised, he won’t keep his end of the bargain. You were deceived.”

“How would you know _anything?_ ” demanded Slade. Pain rose inside his chest. He already knew he had made a terrible choice. He didn’t need this old man to tell him again. A lilting, trilling thought entered his mind, but he batted it away irritably. “Why is it that you seem to know things that I don’t? You have this endless wisdom, but nothing to back it up. I never get it. What are you, anyway? Some all knowing seer? It’s getting annoying, old man.”

Hurt entered the old man’s features. Slade refused to feel bad. Then, Wintergreen’s eyes disconnected with his gaze. They flickered to the side, as if glancing at something there. It was brief, however, and the old man’s eyes reconnected its contact. Wintergreen pursed his lips, the light softening in his eyes.

“Slade, there was an old society that used to worship Trigon,” said Wintergreen, looking grim. “I assume you know his name, since you made a contract with him and bear his mark. A counter society formed to stop them. I’ve been a member for years. It’s why I know the mark. Though, it’s been decades since the society has been active. The fear of a rise of Trigon was really high during the height of the Cold War. In fact, I believe there was an old meeting ground here in this city.”

Slade stared at Wintergreen, his jaw slowly dropping. His lip curled. “You know, this information would’ve been nice a few weeks ago.”

“Yes, in the future, I’ll be sure to warn you from making contracts with _demons_ ,” snapped Wintergreen. “Honestly, Slade! I thought that would’ve been logical!”

“I _told_ you,” hissed Slade. “I had no choice. My only options were terrible and _horrific_. Forgive me for choosing the terrible one, but the horrific choice was simply not an option!”

It hurt. The silence was downright painful. Slade drew in a deep breath. He was in no mood for crap. He didn’t need Dick telling him to accept his healing for the ‘miracle’ it was. No, there had to be a logical explanation for it. _Something_ healed that boy and Slade had a foreboding feeling he knew who had done so: no doubt, the very creature who had caused the problem in the first place.

He wasn’t in the mood. He had a terrible deed to accomplish. When he would be called, he didn’t know. No matter how much Wintergreen told him otherwise, told him to _believe_ – a song came to mind – Slade knew there was no stopping the demon. It wasn’t _a_ demon. No, it was _the_ demon. In all his life, he never would’ve imagined striking a deal with the devil himself. Wintergreen was right. He’d done something stupid, but there was no changing it now – nor, even with the chance, would he change his choice.

All he knew was when it did happen, it would devastate Dick – possibly even ruin their relationship permanently. _Especially_ if Dick was around during the event and there was little possibility otherwise.

Nonetheless, that outcome was better than the other option. Either way, Trigon would rise. Slade knew it. There was no stopping it. How this came about, Slade couldn’t understand it. The enemy had appeared out of nowhere, yet his mark had months of planning. Time was suddenly ticking away quickly.

If the mark on his forehead was becoming more visible, it meant only one thing: _it was soon_.

The old man did it again. His gaze glanced to the side next to Slade, but this time it lingered. A flash of desperation crossed his face, disappearing just as quickly. Slade glanced to the side as well, but there was nothing there. There was a light sigh, before Slade looked back at the old man.

“Come with me,” said Wintergreen, motioning towards himself. Slade followed after the old man, as he walked down the hallway. He sincerely hoped that Dick hadn’t heard anything that had been said. He entered the old man’s room, closing it behind them. Slade waited, sighing slightly. He watched Wintergreen rummage through his desk drawer, before pulling out a small box.

Then, Wintergreen came to Slade, opened the box, and lifted a ring into their eye line.

“What’s that?” asked Slade. The old man took Slade by the hand and pressed the ring there.

“Keep it. Wear it,” said Wintergreen. “It’s a ring of Azar. It’s a rare artifact, so don’t lose it. It has power against Trigon’s influence.”

“You’ve actually had something like this?” asked Slade, studying the ring. Ancient writing, of a language he didn’t recognize, adorned the gold plating. “Azar?”

“Just keep it with you. I have a feeling you’ll need it.”

A lump formed inside Slade’s throat. “If it protects, it’s better if it stays with you.”

“No, I don’t need it. _You’re_ the foolhardy one who contracted with a lying devil. If you want to make it through this alive – _yes, alive_ – then, I suggest you keep that with you at all times. I might be a member, but I have no power. You do, though.”

Slade sighed, but his hand curled around the ring. “Thank you.”

“I suggest you wait a few minutes for your forehead to stop glowing like a beacon,” said Wintergreen, a sardonic smirk lifting his wrinkled mouth. “ I’m pretty sure that’ll cause some awkward questions.”

Slade chuckled as the old man walked toward the door. “What, no more scolding on your part?” he asked, his lip curling into a smirk. Wintergreen turned back and gave Slade a soft smile.

“Just keep that ring with you and there will be no need for any more scolding.”

Wintergreen left the bedroom, leaving a puzzled Slade behind. He frowned, studying the ring for a moment. He heard the old man greet Joey and Rose. As Slade heard their voices mingling together, his stomach churned darkly. He slipped the ring into his pocket, before visiting the bathroom. In the mirror, he watched the glowing rune on his forehead, gritting his teeth, until the rune slowly faded away, invisible once again.

A warning sign, one that brought fire in his veins.

Slade walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway. He made a beeline to the coffee. As he prepared his mug, he glanced back at the two at the kitchen table.

“Good morning, Joey, Rose.”

“Mornin’.”

_“Good morning, Dad.”_

“So, do you two have any plans for the day?”

 _“Rose and I will be out today,”_ said Joey, quickly downing a glass of juice. _“I’m going to find a part time job, while Rose is checking out her school.”_ He glanced over at her. _“Have you decided which college you want to go to yet?”_

Rose shrugged. “It’s either Berkeley or Caltech. Haven’t figured out which one yet.” She smirked. “I’ve received offers from both, though.”

Slade looked back at Rose, his mouth dropping.

“You’ve had _offers_ from them?”

“Yup.”

“Impressive.”

Rose beamed.

Before anything more could be said, there was the unmistakable sound of Dick emerging from his bedroom. The boy barreled into the kitchen, before latching himself onto Slade like a primate.

“Dad, Dad, can my friends and I go out today?” said Dick, nearly squeezing the air right out of Slade’s chest. “ _Please?_ You said you’d think about it? Did you?”

“Well, good morning to you, too,” said Rose huffily. “I’m fine, thank you. You? Oh, is that right?”

Joey chuckled.

“Good grief, child, breathe. It’s still morning. Eat your breakfast.”

“Dad, can we go out, _please?_ ” asked Dick, focusing only on Slade, his eyes wide. His lower lip bunched upward, his eyelashes blinking twice. The ‘puppy eyes’ were in full effect. Slade’s eyebrow twitched. He smirked, glad he’d already made his decision beforehand. He patted the child on the back.

“You may—”

Dick whooped.

“Now listen, there are some ground rules—”

The boy whooped again, completely ignoring Slade.

“And you all have a curfew—”

“Guys!” cried Dick, bolting to the basement door, wrenching it open, before clambering downward. “Guys, _wake up_ , we’re going out today!”

Slade grabbed his mug of coffee and lifted it to his mouth, his lips quirking upward in a gentle smile.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday,  9:26 pm.**

The sliver of the crescent moon shone bright, the summer evening air pleasantly cool, the fireflies dancing with their glowing lights; even Raven seemed to be in a good mood. Dick could’ve sworn he’d seen her smiling, but it could’ve been a trick of the lamppost light.

It had truly been a delightful day. After being cooped up for so long, Dick had _relished_ in being outside. There hadn’t been any trouble – though, he was pretty sure Slade had _something_ to do with that. How the man kept the criminal population from running rampant in the Teen Titans’ absence was one of those things Dick decided _not_ to think about. Even retired, Slade had the right kind of leverage on the city.

But, Dick had to admit, it had its perks. Not having to jump into action right away was nice. It left time to be with his friends. Unfortunately, it required him to be under a mask, since the others were recognizable, but he forwent the uniform and stuck with civilian clothes – though, he had his uniform on underneath.

It was normal, just a normal outing with friends. For once, Dick could truly imagine being a teenager. He had a family waiting at home. He even had a curfew, ten thirty, one his friends were required to maintain as well – oh, yeah, Cyborg _loved_ that.

But still, Dick was happy.

The day had been _fun_. Slade had given them pocket money, something that shocked the boys – the girls had been politely grateful. Thus, a plethora of junk food had been purchased and consumed throughout the entire outing. Two movies had been seen in the early afternoon; an arcade had been visited for an extended amount of time; a bookshop had been demanded upon by Raven after that; and, finally, Starfire dragged them all to the mall for window shopping and ice cream – cream of ice, in the case of Starfire.

All in all, it’d been the best day Dick had had with his friends in a long time.

It was now late, after having way too much pizza, and they were on their way back home. The chatter was loud, the laughter happy, as they all walked together. Beast Boy was insisting for a rematch against Cyborg after having been beaten in the video game of his choice at the arcade; all the while, Dick snickered through it. Starfire was chatting animatedly about the hair accessories she had picked up at the mall, trying to learn what each were for from Raven, who either didn’t know or didn’t care either way.

“Come on, one more rematch and I’ll beat you!” cried Beast Boy indignantly.

“Still doesn’t change the counter,” said Cyborg, grinning. “It’ll just go from twenty to zero, to twenty-one to one.”

“ _Hey!_ ”

Dick chuckled. The moonlight wavered.

Suddenly, Raven gasped. She pitched forward, just as Beast Boy stopped her from completely falling to the ground. Together, they fell to their knees. Starfire and Cyborg gathered around, while Dick dropped to Raven’s side. She breathed heavily, as if something constricted her lungs.

“Raven!” cried Beast Boy. “What’s wrong, are you all right?”

A weak, yet familiar laugh echoed inside Dick’s mind.  His blood chilled. That voice had been quiet for so long. Why was he hearing it now?

_‘It’s time. The solstice is upon us.’_

Raven screamed. Her back arched; her head threw back; her mouth dropped open. Another scream penetrated the air. Slowly, glowing runes began to etch on her skin, beginning with the backs of her hands. The screams intensified. Beast Boy held onto Raven, looking desperately helpless as the girl writhed in pain.

The rune were being carved into her skin.

“What’s happening?” cried Beast Boy, fearfully glancing up at Dick. The girl grew hoarse in her screams as the runes made their way upward, carving their mark on her arms. Beast Boy winced as his skin make contact with the runes. As they etched upward, Raven’s cloak became charred, slowly turning to charcoal dust.

To their horror, the runes etched into Raven’s back and stomach, burning away part of the fabric, until, finally, they reached her forehead; a simmering, red mark of an S symbol, one with accents in the centers of the curves of the shape, blazon there.

The screams stopped. Raven collapsed backward, with Beast Boy still clutching onto her. She panted, tears streaming down her face. As they all stayed knelt at her side, there was a slow, yet sharp inhale from Starfire. She leaned forward, gazing directly onto the rune mark on Raven’s forehead.

“I know this mark,” breathed Starfire, shock in her eyes.

_‘Oh, your girlfriend might actually be smart.’_

“What is it?” asked Dick, ignoring the voice in his head. Starfire looked at it, the fear growing in her features.

“It is a sign, a sign of something terrible,” whispered Starfire. She shivered. “My people are fearless. We are warriors, even from the day of our birth. We do not fear battle, nor the possibilities which happen when war is waged. We mourn our loved ones, but we do not fear death.”

She motioned to the rune.

“This, however, we fear. This is an omen of more than death. It is a sign of annihilation of life, the mark of the end. My people are taught from a young age about the enemy of X’hal. It is the Mark of Scath, the sign of Trigon’s coming.”

_‘Heeeh, Tamaraneans know their stuff. I supposed I can be impressed.’_

Dick’s mind raced. He first thought about the encounter with Terra, all his nightmares – there had to be a connection. His nightmares _had_ to hold the answer. This Trigon jerk, _he_ must be the one targeting Raven and Dick. But _why?_ What was going on, anyway? Were his nightmares a premonition? Was that truly the future? Just who was this person – or creature – that he could be so frightening to an entire warfaring culture?

“Then…” began Dick, looking over Raven. Why was she the one with the mark? Hadn’t Trigon been targeting Dick all this time? Why was he also going after Raven? It didn’t make any sense. Shouldn’t it be him with all those runes etched in his skin? Better he than Raven, after all.

_‘Oh, only special ones can bear the mark of his coming.’_

“There is something else,” whispered Starfire. She looked at Raven, almost pity rising in her gaze. “Oh, Raven, why did you not tell us? Are we not your friends?”

Tears fell down Raven’s face. Her body wracked with soft sobs.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” cried Raven, her voice in a low whisper. “I thought it had been prevented. The Marking was supposed to happen on my birthday, but it didn’t. I thought it was all over. I thought…”

“Hey, just who is this Trigon, anyway?” demanded Beast Boy. “We can take him, can’t we?”

“Trigon is the master of death,” said Starfire. “He has the ability to rip anyone’s soul from this world, though he needs power to do so. He glories in the pain of the living. He glories in bringing destruction to any world that would oppose him. All worlds, just in the mere action of existing, oppose him, because they have what he does not. Thus…”

Starfire trailed off, biting her lower lip.

Cyborg frowned. “Hold up, are you saying he’s like…” He inhaled sharply. “Are you saying this guy’s like a devil, demon or something?”

“Not a devil,” whispered Raven. “ _The_ devil.”

Cyborg’s eyebrow popped upward. “Oh, no.”

“Huh? What?” Beast Boy looked between them. “Wait, are you saying…”

“What do you mean by, ‘they have what he does not’?” asked Dick.

“Trigon has power over death,” said Starfire. “This is what I have been taught as a child. But without a physical embodiment to contain himself, he has little power among life – unless there is something fueling him. It is said he feeds on despair and fear. He can, in essence, plant within anyone a servant to drain sustenance for himself. I have actually seen this many times on my planet, but we are strong. Trigon had little footing among my people. The greater the fear and despair, the more powerful he becomes. With the right amount of power, he could pass through a portal into our world and in the process, create a physical body for himself.”

Starfire breathed out, shuddering slightly.

“If he accomplishes this, every living creature on every planet within every universe will be threatened – perhaps even destroyed forever.”

Silence reigned at this. Dick made a mental note to study more on Starfire’s culture and other planets. They had been completely unprepared for this kind of attack. How many other enemies were there in the universe? If what Starfire said was true, then that meant Trigon had planted that doppelganger inside Dick. All this time… he’d been _feeding_ the monster. Dick shivered at the thought.

“Then… Then, we just have to make sure Trigon doesn’t find a portal,” said Cyborg. “Or maybe we can find it and destroy it, or something.”

Starfire inhaled sharply, snapping her head to look at Cyborg. There was a hoarse chuckle from Raven.

“Yes, that would be for the best,” whispered Raven. Power emanated from her voice. “Do it, then. Destroy the portal.”

“ _No!_ ” cried Starfire.

“What’s going on?” demanded Beast Boy, his young voice rising in hysteria. “I feel like I’m missing the prequel here!”

“ _No_ , Raven, there must be another way!”

“I should’ve allowed it sooner. What’s one life to countless others? I just… was selfish…”

Dick glanced between Starfire and Raven. Starfire seemed to know where the portal was, yet didn’t want to destroy it. His mind raced with every possibility, his thoughts coming to a horrifying conclusion. There _had_ been a reason for targeting more than just himself, hadn’t there been? Dick wasn’t an end goal. He was just the food, so to speak.

It was so simple.

It broke his heart.

“ _Someone_ explain _something_ , please!” cried Beast Boy.

There was a soft exhale of breath.

“Trigon, he’s… He’s my father. He sired me for one reason. _I’m_ the portal.”

“Whoa, wait, _what?!_ ”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday,  9:40 pm.**

When the runes inscribed on his body glowed brightly, Slade wasn’t all that surprised. Though he hadn’t been expecting it _tonight_ , he had figured it would be soon. Was he resigned and fearful of what was to come, very much so – but not surprised at all.

Wintergreen, on the other hand, got the shock of his life.

“Good heaven above!” cried Wintergreen, his aged eyes widening. The old man stared at him. “What…”

“It’s time,” said Slade, in a hollow voice. He closed his eye briefly. The runes glowed beneath Slade’s white collar shirt, the orange glow ominous in its meaning. He knew they followed the one that was blazon across his forehead. Without knowing the language, the meaning still announced Trigon’s approaching arrival and it was impressed upon Slade. Now, he knew _exactly_ when it was to happen, down to the very minute.

Suddenly, he wished he hadn’t let Dick out today.

Slade stood up.

Wintergreen stood as well, those eyes filled with fear, yet there was also a strength within them.

“I have to go,” said Slade, his voice void of all emotion. The other runes slowly faded, leaving the heat of the one on his forehead.

“Yes,” whispered Wintergreen, breathless. He took a deep breath. “I will wait for your safe return home, then.”

A lump immediately built up inside Slade’s throat. He swallowed, but his voice betrayed him. “Will,” he whispered hoarsely. “There won’t be anything or… or anyone to return home to. You _know_ that.”

Then, Slade found himself perplexed beyond measure. The fear inside Wintergreen’s eyes vanished. What was left there was only peace, something so unimaginable to Slade. How could…

The old man’s lip quirked upward.

“Today’s a great day to start working on that faith.”

The air stole out of Slade’s chest.

He didn’t answer. _The old man’s going senile,_ Slade told himself. But the moment those words crossed through his thoughts, he figured the old man was more sane than he was.

It took less than ten minutes to suit up. With every passing moment, he could feel the forced urgency rise inside. Slade pushed away all thoughts about the upcoming confrontation. A certain of pair of crystal blue eyes was going to penetrate his heart. Whispers filled his ears, commands of the one he had bound himself to – all the while, he gritted his teeth furiously. He strode down the hallway, mask in hand, until he reached the kitchen once again.

Slade looked at Wintergreen. He didn’t know what to say. Nothing could forgive his sin. He was, once again, awed by the loyalty in this old man. Wintergreen _knew_ , yet he still stood there, looking calm as ever – as if Slade was only going out for a stroll in the park.

_If only…_

“Are you wearing the ring?” asked Wintergreen.

Slade hesitated. His hand twitched slightly. “It’d be better to leave it with you, Will.”

“Slade Wilson,” started Wintergreen, raising an eyebrow. He put his hands onto his hips. “If you don’t wear that ring, I’ll put this blasted haunt into lockdown, under _my_ code. I’d be delighted to see you crack _that_. Wear it, for me, _for Richard_. It will protect you.”

Slade cracked a smirk. “Ornery old man.”

“Stubborn whippersnapper.”

Slade snorted, but sobered instantly after. He gazed at the old man, the best friend, the man who had been inseparable from his side. He knew what was going to happen. Wintergreen knew what was going to happen. The old man was stronger than him, that much Slade knew without a doubt.

Suddenly, Slade pulled Wintergreen into a hug. The old man gently patted him on the back, before Slade quickly drew away. He turned to the door, lifting his hand and attaching his mask to his face. His breathing dimmed; his vision narrowed.

An aged, wise voice rose up, causing Slade to pause with his hand on the handle of the kitchen door.

“Slade, I know you have little hope, but no matter what you think, there are more than evil forces in this world, _so much more_. Dark cannot exist without Light. Yes, sometimes, the dark seems so powerful, it feels as if it will consume us. But there is something you must remember: where there is light, darkness is _always_ chased away. Darkness can _never_ overwhelm – even the tiniest of light holds more power than all the darkness in the world.”

Slade took a deep breath, those words resounding inside his mind, overpowering the dark whispers. Nothing more was said. He turned the handle of the kitchen door and strode out; for once in his life, he wished with all his heart to believe the old man’s words.

_If only they could be true…_

_I need them to be true._

Somehow, Slade’s steps felt a little lighter, as a gentle, familiar trilling lilt entered the air around him.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday,  10:02 pm.**

“Beast Boy, _get a grip!_ ” snapped Dick, as he held onto Raven. Beast Boy was currently bouncing back and forth. “You give ‘running around like a chicken without its head’ new meaning!”

“She’s glowing like a hundred fireflies, how am I supposed to be calm here?!” cried Beast Boy, wildly pointing at Raven. She rolled her eyes, but bit her lower lip, a fearful light in her face.

Dick was more concerned about Raven’s parentage than the glowing tattoos, but he didn’t say as much.

“Just _calm down_ ,” said Dick. “It’s not helping otherwise, BB.”

“But—”

Dick dutifully ignored the excitable changeling and directed the conversation to a more important issue. “And we are _not_ destroying _anything_.” He gave Raven a pointed look. Her lips thinned. “Is this true?” he asked. “You’re a portal and Trigon’s coming?”

Raven nodded.

Dick let out a huff of air. “And this whole time, I’ve been on the freak’s dinner plate. Lovely.”

There was a furious scream of rage inside Dick’s mind. The voice ranted and raved at him, furiously spitting curses at him for defiling ‘his master’. But Dick gritted his teeth. No freaking way he was going to let that doppelganger get the best of him. If Trigon fed on despair and fear, Dick wasn’t about to let any of those emotions flow through him. _No. No more._

“You?” whispered Raven, her eyes widening.

“Yeah, I’ve been a target all this time,” said Dick. “I’ve been having nightmares just about every night for months now. But not since I’ve been ill lately, though. Not sure why. Geez, who knew a little more communication would’ve made all the difference in the world…”

He was _not_ about to forget that one again now.

Raven looked stricken. “He’s been hurting…”

With a sigh, Dick helped Raven to her feet. She swayed briefly, but the others all helped steady her. She blushed, embarrassed by their attentiveness.

“Look, whoever this enemy is, he’s no match for the Teen Titans, all right?” said Dick, giving Raven a confident smile. “Portal or not, we’re not letting him through.”

“But—”

Dick’s smile softened and he took Raven by the hand. His fingers barely brushed against the glowing rune on her hand. He ignored the pain that burned into his skin. “You don’t need to worry, Rae. We’ll protect you. Nothing bad is going to happen, all right?”

There was a tentative smile from Raven. Her hand tightened in his hold. Beast Boy took her other hand, blushing slightly, but smiling all the same at her. Starfire nodded, placing steadying hands onto Raven’s shoulders. The three surrounded her in their protectiveness.

Then, suddenly, as they stepped forward, Dick bumped into Cyborg’s broad, hard back. He winced, pulling back and rubbing his nose. He glanced up at the older teen to see a mixture of horror and unsuppressed fury across his face. Dick followed the line of sight that Cyborg was gazing on.

Something wasn’t right.

Standing on the ledge of a nearby building was an unmistakable form. It was one that Dick had only seen. The others knew the tamer side to this man, one which bore minimum armor, in black and grey colors. However, that man was but a shadow of his true identity.

All arrayed in powerful armor, stood, not _Slade_ , but _Deathstroke_. A blade hung at his back, along with two large guns. Two toned with orange and black on his chest, while dark grey scales covered his lower chest to his waist. Thin, pliable metal plating lay on the upper sections of his arms, elbows, legs and knees; while steel tipped metal boots were worn at the feet.

Dick had seen this before. He knew who this was. The armor spoke volumes of intent, one of precision and power.

What Dick hadn’t imagined was seeing it again like this.

 _Something was terribly wrong_.

“ _Dad_ ,” whispered Dick, his eyes widening, his breath catching in his throat. Shining bright, the color of tainted firefly light, was the same rune that Raven had, in the same location, the forehead, yet his face was hidden behind the mask. An icy chill slithered down Dick’s back. _Why?_ The man wouldn’t look at him, his gaze only on the girl whose hand Dick held. Even through the distance, there was no mistaking that single steel grey blue eye.

Its light writhed.

“I have a message for Raven.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on Friday, February 27th:** Chapter Twenty-Four: Betrayal – An all out battle occurs between the Teen Titans and Deathstroke. While Dick struggles with his confusion over the new development, the others deal with anger and fear. 
> 
> **Author's Notes:** Oh, look. That accelerated quickly. XD 
> 
> *huggles all* Thank you all for the support! I truly appreciate it. Still working hard. :) On the original novel, I’ve proofread once through with my reader and have begun the second round. Cover is complete. (I’m so excited for everyone to see that.) We’re getting closer!
> 
> I had always found it slightly odd in the TV show when Starfire had heard of Trigon’s infamy on her planet, but never knew his sign of coming or recognized it. I decided out of all the Titans, Starfire probably knew about Trigon, perhaps even from birth. Thus, what happened was a little culture addition on my part. ^^ 
> 
> I realize some of the plot isn’t perfect in this chapter, though many other things that I’ve designed have been foreshadowed here. (Although, I am pleased with many parts in this chapter. I think that one line from Rose is my favorite. So much sass.) But this is because my attention is split between two large projects, which will soon turn to one once my novel is released. As I did with Forgotten Bonds, I’ll probably add content and plot clarifications when I finish this, but right now, it’ll have to do. The territory I’m entering doesn’t have much original outline. I mean, I have some later chapters that say, ‘Battle continues.’ and ‘Battle finishes.’ Aheh… 
> 
> And if you thought the chapter was fine, then just ignore me and carry on. LOL. 
> 
> Anthy


	24. Betrayal

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Betrayal**

 

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday,  10:08 pm.**

“What…” whispered Dick. He felt the girl beside him pull back, her hand slipping away. He looked back at her. Raven was shaking her head, her eyes locked onto Slade.

“Is that…” whispered Cyborg, his eyes hardening.

What the _heck_ was Slade doing here looking like _that?_ Why was he saying the same, exact thing Terra had said? This had to be a joke, a sick _terrible_ joke. It wasn’t some fake. There was no doubt in Dick’s mind, that was Slade. He knew the man’s voice all too well, had grown to care and love that voice all too much. So, why? _Why?_ Why was this _happening?!_

Raven’s hand tightened around his. “Dick,” she whispered. “He bears the mark.”

Whatever that meant, Dick was pretty sure it wasn’t good.

Starfire and Beast Boy looked at Dick, appearing confused. Cyborg looked furious, with a mixture of satisfaction and understanding. Dick wanted to smack that look right off the teen’s face, but he couldn’t. He felt the confusion too much. No matter how much he wanted to explain this away, it didn’t change the fact that Slade was standing in front of them, bearing the Mark of Scath – just like Raven.

A chill slid down Dick’s back. Slade jumped down, effortlessly landing from a two story height. The man strode toward them.

“Rob, are you seeing this?” asked Cyborg, in a low voice. “Are you seeing the obvious here? You’re our leader. What do we do?”

“Don’t move,” commanded Slade. “I’m here for…” There was a pause. “I’m here for the… portal.

 _Agony_.

The feeling tore through his heart like a ravenous beast of the deep. Dick shook his head, not truly understanding what was happening here. As the man stepped forward, Dick pulled back. He could feel it, even from a distance. Slade was intent on getting to Raven.

“Titans…” whispered Dick, taking another step back, pushing Raven behind himself. His mind snapped with one thought, the _only_ logical thought that came to this man: “ _Run!_ ”

Slade stiffened at the command, while the others looked confused for a moment.

“ _RUN!_ ” shouted Dick, pulling back. “Beast Boy, help Raven!

Beast Boy immediately transformed, roaring viciously. In his werebeast form, he grabbed Raven with one arm, curling her protectively to his chest, and used his free arm to bolt into a galloping run. As Dick ran after the two of them, Starfire flew forward, flying in front of him as he ran.

“Why are we running away?” cried Starfire. Cyborg snorted from beside them.

“I–I don’t know! It seemed like a good idea!”

“Oh, _please_ , Robin!” snapped Cyborg. “It’s obvious! That’s _Deathstroke_. That’s not some random enemy. That’s Slade, your stupid, so called _father!_ ”

Starfire gasped, just as Dick clenched his eyes shut briefly. No, there had to be a logical explanation for this. There _had_ to be. This was some ridiculous training technique Slade was pulling for the team. Yeah, that had to be it. There was no way Slade would have anything to do with Trigon, the most dangerous enemy the world had ever known.

Right. This was training.

Nonetheless, Dick didn’t want to lose.

_Just in case…_

“Starfire, Cyborg, we’ll hold him off,” shouted Dick, tearing his shirt off over his head as he ran, not once pausing through it. “Beast Boy, hide with Raven. Protect her at all costs! Don’t let anyone or anything take her away.”

_‘You’re fooling yourself if you think my master can’t find her.’_

“Shut up,” shouted Dick, out loud. He received an odd look from Cyborg, but he ignored it. He gritted his teeth.

_You just keep your crap to yourself. You’re a fake. You’re nothing. So, just keep your mouth shut. I haven’t got time for you._

There was a deriding chuckle, but silence reigned.

Dick focused his attention elsewhere. He wasn’t about to let this creature twist words in his head. He wasn’t going to listen. He wasn’t going to believe it – it was obviously a liar. Instead, Dick glanced over at Starfire, who, in midflight, looked over at him. He could see the fear and confusion there, prevalent throughout her features.

It wasn’t helpful, whatsoever, for Dick’s nerves.

A large part of his mind was telling him something was off, that this was real – _all too horribly real_ – that this wasn’t some training event, but all the while, Dick’s heart denied it. It couldn’t be more than just spontaneous training.

_Please, it can’t be more…_

Dick skidded to a stop. He sliced through his jeans, knowing Wintergreen would have a fit later. Ah, well. He easily pulled the fabric away, leaving him in his full suit, without the armor, however. The werebeast stopped briefly, but Dick motioned him forward. “Beast Boy, just keep going. Protect her.” Then, Dick glanced at the two at his sides. “We’re gonna fight him, all right, guys?” he said, slowly forming a stance. He bit his lower lip as he watched Slade quickly approach them. “Just don’t hurt him, okay?”

Yeah, it had sounded ridiculous in his head, too.

Cyborg powered up his cannon and pointed it at Slade. “Oh, I’m gonna hurt him.”

Dick couldn’t stop chewing on his lower lip. Starfire lowered to the ground and came to his side, placing a hand onto his shoulder.

“Dick… Are you—”

“I’m fine, Star,” whispered Dick. “This is just… training. Dad’s doing a surprise training…”

“This ain’t training, Rob, and you know it.”

_He’s wrong. He’s wrong; he has to be wrong!_

As Slade neared, Dick took a deep breath. Then, his stance tensed. A cry rose within his throat, “ _Titans, go!_ ”

The three of them clashed against Slade. Cyborg was liberal with his cannon and his fists, while Starfire tossed starbolt after starbolt at them. It was all too apparent that the man wasn’t going to hold back. Slade expertly dodged every blow that came his way. Dick hadn’t seen _this_ man for quite some time and it was truly impressive to see; unfortunately, this wasn’t the situation Dick would’ve liked it to be in.

But as the battle continued, Dick noticed something off in the fight. Slade appeared to be going after the other two first, no matter Dick’s efforts to get close. Finally, Dick intervened in the fight and blocked the man. He waited for a counterblow, obviously in the way now. His body tensed, his stance stiffened, all the while waiting.

It never came.

The balance of the fight changed. Slade hesitated, something he never did, shifting his weight on his feet. Dick faltered, the surprise by this unusual action offsetting for him. Then, Slade bypassed him completely, once again going after one of the others. Dick whirled his head back, staring at the man’s back.

_No…_

_No, this was training…_

_He wouldn’t…_

As Dick watched Cyborg engage the man in a fight, Slade didn’t hold back. The man wasn’t holding back his punches. This wasn’t the same movement during training. This was real. The man was here for real. Slade aimed to _win_.

Horror poured through Dick.

He bolted forward. Cyborg blasted a powerful wave of his cannon at Slade, but it was dodged. Dick rushed forward, just as Slade pulled back a strike to punch the older teen. Dick halted right in between them. Slade froze mid-punch, stopping just in time from hitting Dick in the face.

Dick held out his arms, staring directly in that grey blue eye.

Slade maneuvered around him.

“ _No!_ ” screamed Dick, the realization rising even more in his soul. He blocked the man again, his arms outstretched. “Stop,” he whispered, dropping his tone.

The man’s face was hidden behind that horrible mask. Dick wanted to see the emotions there. He wanted to see what expression lay there. He wanted to rip that hideous metal obstruction right off that face! He wanted to see his _father’s_ face. He wanted to know _why_ there was only impassive aggressiveness to the man’s movements, when that steel eye writhed with terrible emotion.

Slade avoided him again. It only reiterated to Dick that this was _his_ Slade, _his_ father, the man who had become so much to him. When would the old Slade avoid a fight with a wiry teen? When would he avoid a fight with anyone, when he could dominate all? It only meant one thing.

Slade knew what he was doing.

Dick intervened once again, blocking Slade from attacking Cyborg. There was an irritated huff of air from the older teen as Dick interrupted their fight.

“Stop this,” demanded Dick, his chest heaving as his heart flared with emotion. “Now, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice going soft. “Why are you doing this? What aren’t you telling me?”

The man’s visible eye narrowed, the muscle clenching around it. “Don’t interfere. Stand aside.”

“And let you fight my friends and let you take Raven?” asked Dick, his voice rising. “You know me better than that.”

That grey blue light darkened.

“Then, you know… When I have an objective, I will not back down.”

Slade bolted forward. Dick faltered again, frozen to the spot. _Objective?_ Was the man really doing this? Was he really fighting them? Just _why_ was he doing this? There _had_ to be a reason—a _logical_ explanation for this!

His mind flashed through recent past moments. He could remember how soft Slade had been with Joey and Rose, how kind he’d been to Dick afterward. _That_ was Slade. That kind man, that was the true Slade. Dick knew the man had darker sections of his heart, he _knew_ that. But that darkness didn’t make Slade who he was.

They couldn’t be lies. No one could fake such softness that well.

Slade targeted Cyborg first. Starfire was in the air, now looking torn, to the point of being paralyzed in action. Dick gritted his teeth and withdrew his bō-staff. He was not going to let this go on. No more hesitation.

Before Slade could reach Cyborg again, Dick forced the man into action, blocking him with the staff. There was a _clang_ as another staff instantly appeared, connecting with it. Dick heard a huff of air from behind the mask.

“Why won’t you do as I say?” snapped Slade.

“I’m stubborn,” said Dick, tense as he breathed inaudible, heavy breaths – every one taken in the effort to hold off the blazing emotions in his heart. “Just like my father.”

The pain intensified one hundred fold in the man’s eye.

“Just tell me what’s going on,” whispered Dick, as they stood there, unmoving, their staffs trembling. “Just tell me. I’ll listen. I promise.”

_Come on. There has to be a reason why you’re acting like this._

“I already did.”

With a swift movement, Dick’s staff was thrown out of his grasp. There was a raging cry from Cyborg, before a blast of his cannon _whooshed_ past Dick, missing Slade by inches. Dick dropped to his knees, confusion flooding over his mind. _When?_ When had Slade mentioned something like this? The man wasn’t making any sense! He never mentioned anything like _this_.

_No!_

He couldn’t stay down. He had to get up. He had to fight. Slade was serious. Slade was seriously going after Raven. Dick had to protect her. He was the leader of the Teen Titans. He had to help. They all had to stop Slade or else something bad was going to happen.

_But…_

If they hadn’t been able to stop Slade before, what made Dick think they had a sliver of a chance now?

But the longer he screamed at himself to get up and join the fight, the longer he begged his heart to forget and _get up_ , he found that his legs wouldn’t obey him. He faced an all too frightening reality, one he knew all along, but hoped he would never have to find out.

_He couldn’t do it._

“Get up, Robin!” shouted Cyborg.

But that wasn’t his name any more. There was no answer to it any more, no call to honor that name, no chains binding him down. Robin, the Boy Wonder, didn’t exist any more – more than ever now – and as much as Dick Grayson knew that, he never truly understood _how much_ his life had changed in less than one year.

He didn’t want it to go back.

He wanted to bury his head in the sand. He wanted this to go away. It had to be a dream. He was sleeping. This was one of those nightmares. _It had to be_. Death was different than betrayal. Surely not. Surely Slade wasn’t doing that. _Surely_ the man wasn’t going back on his word.

_Please… I need him. I never wanted it to end._

Was life so determined to take everything Dick cared about away from him, after all?

“You know,” hissed Cyborg, turning his attention onto Slade. Obviously, Robin wasn’t going to be any help. “I’ve been dying for a real fight with you.” He slammed his fist into his hand. “I’m gonna put you down _finally_. The others might’ve trusted you, but I always _knew_.”

There was a pause.

“It’s not going to be much of a fight.”

“Oh, yes, it is!” shouted Cyborg. He lunged forward, but was instantly dodged. The cannon on his arm powered up. It blasted at Slade, who evaded it with ease yet again.

Cyborg growled, furious at Robin for just sitting there. Help would’ve been nice. Even Starfire was torn now. Just why were they acting so shocked? Had Robin really been that naive all this time? _Really?_ This was Robin, the Boy Wonder. He had been Batman’s partner. He had to have seen hard things. Cyborg had known Robin had formed some kind of attachment to Slade, but this was ridiculous. Slade was a bonafided liar. He had him going there for a moment, but beneath it all, somehow, Cyborg had known the truth.

And once he took Slade down – to the man’s very knees, _begging_ for mercy for ruining what they’d once had – Cyborg was going to pull Robin back up out of the darkness and make him understand reality. Then, they’d go back to the good days, where everything was normal again – _without the liar_.

However, when Cyborg tried to fight the man, he never truly realized just how out of his league Slade was.

“I don’t have to time to play with you,” said Slade, stopping one of Cyborg’s punches. An instant later, a cannon blasted in the air, missing Slade as the man darted behind him.

“This isn’t a game, Slade!” shouted Cyborg, whirling around.

“I know.”

Something slapped onto his back. A second later, Cyborg chilled as he felt the compartment on his back open without his permission. _No… The man wasn’t… He couldn’t—_

It was too late. Cyborg tried to move, but his body wouldn’t obey. The man had already hacked into his systems?! _That fast!?_ Not even Robin had been able to hack _that_ fast. Granted, the Boy Wonder had been quick about it, but Cyborg had updated his systems with greater security. _No one_ was supposed to get into his systems.

“ _Oi!_ Get out of my _sys_ …” Cyborg’s speech suddenly slurred midsentence.

“Just sleep for a bit.”

And at those words, the blackness flooded over Cyborg’s mind, his eyes closing afterward. He collapsed to the ground without even feeling the fall.

“ _Cyborg!_ ” cried Starfire. Her body snapped into action and she flew down to her friend, kneeling down beside him. Though the color of his body was still blue, his eyes were closed, as if he were sleeping. A timer was on his arm, red numbers counting down from fifteen minutes.

Starfire took a deep breath. She glanced over at Dick, who was staring at the ground, the shock prevalent in his eyes. He hadn’t put his mask on, though he was in full uniform. Her heart ached for him. She wanted to know why Slade was doing this, for Dick’s sake. He was so different now, reacting to this, than he had been with Terra.

Perhaps, it was because this hurt a thousand fold more.

She would protect him.

“I do not want to fight you, because you are Dick’s father,” said Starfire, the pain seeping through her tone. She slowly stood up. “He loves you, just as I love Galfore. You are hurting him by not explaining yourself. I truly do not wish to fight.” She lifted her hand, green light glowing there, her monochromatic eyes flaring with determination. “But I will, to protect Raven, to protect my friends – _to protect Dick_.”

“My son is lucky to have such friends,” whispered Slade. His stance was nonthreatening and Starfire lowered her hand, the light fading away. Her eyes glistened. She wanted to believe in this man. He had been so good for Dick. “You are a powerful warrior. You are the glue that keeps the Teen Titans together. I could tell, even before… Remove you from the picture and the Titans would fall apart.”

His tone went softer, more reverent.

“To engage in a fair, honest fight with you would be the greatest honor to any fighter worth a grain of salt.”

Starfire exhaled, the sound breathy with relief. Hope rose inside her heart. This had to mean Slade had some good still. This wasn’t a betrayal. But then, suddenly, Slade bolted forward, halting at her side. She startled, unable to react further by his unexpected presence.

“So,” whispered Slade, from her side. The man’s voice was soft, even remorseful. “You’ll have to forgive me for fighting dirty.”

Starfire’s eyes widened, her breath catching – but before she could attack, something sharp stabbed into her neck. She could feel a toxin flooding through her veins. She stumbled backwards, the effects messing with her mind.

“I believe I got the amount right for your alien blood.”

“What… did you…”

“Sedative. A weak one.”

Starfire struggled against the drug in her system. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before in her life. Her mind began to shut down and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. Her body felt weak.  She raised an arm, determined to blast a starbolt, but the glow was too dim in her hands. Her eyes drooped. She stumbled forward, about to fall to the side, when strong hands steadied her. She felt herself being lowered to the ground, before she gave into it. Starfire heard one last, frantic voice – wishing she could go to him – before she succumbed to the darkness.

“ _Starfire!_ ”

Watching Starfire fall electrified Dick into action. His legs moved again, no longer frozen. He was on his feet and rushing to Starfire, before dropping to his knees. She wasn’t moving, but she was all right. While he knew Slade wouldn’t truly hurt them, it still had crossed his mind.

_He should’ve done something._

Dick looked up at the man, the questions rising and falling inside his mind. This was cruel. Dick wasn’t supposed to be having doubts nor worries any more. They had passed that point. Why were they going backwards? Had it just been for a short time? Was Dick’s life going to go back to what it was before all this?

_Had his mother been wrong all along?_

“Why?” whispered Dick.

A grey blue eye narrowed; Slade turned around. “Don’t interfere.”

Oh, _as if_.

Dick bolted to his feet and lunged after Slade. The man whirled back around and blocked the attack with ease. For a brief moment, there was a standstill between them. Dick never broke his gaze from that steel grey blue eye.

 _There was something to fight for_.

Dick fought like a wild animal, furious, ferocious with every movement. He was going to force this man to talk, one way or another. If there was ever a time to surpass the master, now was that time. Dick was determined. But as every strike either missed or was caught, the anger grew more.

_Why?_

_Why are you doing this?_

_You’re not just hurting me, you’re hurting my friends. I thought… What changed? What did I do wrong? If I did something wrong, please, I’ll fix it. Were all those things you said to me fake? How long have you been lying to me?_

_Like father, like son._

Tears streamed down Dick’s face. His lips curled upward, baring his teeth. Choking, furious sobs broke from his mouth. Punches became wild; his vision blurred. He couldn’t see any more, his vision was so marred by the tears.

At one wild punch, Dick’s hand was caught. There was a light click of the tongue.

“You’re forgetting all your training,” whispered Slade, chidingly gentle. Dick’s heart twisted. “Don’t let your emotions rule you.”

_Oh, he was one to talk._

“You _promised_ ,” whispered Dick. A sob broke through again. His voice snapped to a new height, the anger begging to overpower the incapacitating hurt. “ _You’ve broken your word!_ This is… This is _worse_ than anything you could’ve done. I wish… How could you betray me like this, _now_ , of all times?!”

“I’m sorry.”

Dick’s breath caught in his throat, his gasping cries hitching. The hot beads of his tears fell down his cheeks in another wave. He was jerked forward, colliding gently into the man’s chest. He stilled, feeling the man’s presence and the warmth it provided. He couldn’t bear to look up.

Oh, how many times had he been held against this chest? How many times had he breathed in the comfort? How many times had those strong arms pulled tight within the embrace, whispers of reassurance gently entering his ear? _How many times?_

This was a dream; this had to be one of those terrible dreams. He was going to wake up any moment. There would be laughter in the kitchen, the smell of bacon throughout the air. Joey’s ethereal voice would join the others, while Rose’s voice would rise above in a random complaint. Kuroi would be cuddling next to him in bed. There would be chances to talk, to laugh, with so many moments to enjoy – moments for hugs that felt so much warmer than what Dick was experiencing at that second. It would be the start of a new day. It had to be— _it had to be!_

“ _I’m sorry_.”

A second later, something sharp pinched Dick’s neck, the blackness quickly flowing through his vision. _Oh, gosh, it wasn’t a dream._ The last thing Dick was aware of were the strong arms that caught him before he fell to the ground.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday,  10:21 pm.**

“We’ll be safe here,” said Beast Boy, after setting Raven down. As she leaned against the shelf, she looked around the dilapidated interior, before looking up at Beast Boy. He shifted his feet nervously. “No one would ever imagine me bringing you here.”

Raven had to admit, he was right. No one in their right mind would imagine Beast Boy walking into a public library, let alone an abandoned one not even in use any more. But, here they were, in that very location.

“How’d you even know this existed in the city?” asked Raven. The younger boy blushed.

“Well, hey, even I know where the library is.”

Raven raised an eyebrow. “Especially this one. Since it’s so filled with life and books.”

“All right, all right,” said Beast Boy, his cheeks a pink blush over green. “So, I got lost and stumbled on it. It took me thirty minutes to realize it was a library in the first place.”

“Of course, the boarded up doors were the perfect welcoming sign.”

It was amusing to tease Beast Boy like this. The boy seemed, for once, unbothered by it and it helped to ease the troubled worry in her heart. The runes etched in her skin no longer burned, glowing with a warmth that was slightly uncomfortable, but not unbearable.

Beast Boy looked sheepish, yet impish. “Well, I think a mouse might’ve gotten inside.”

“Oh, I’m sure. Too bad there weren’t any mouse traps around.”

For a moment, Beast Boy looked surprised by her joke. Then, he laughed, giggling with young delight. The sounds of his voice were gentle and soft within the ancient library. Afterward, he sat down next to Raven. Dust flared up. Raven could feel him against her arm. She would’ve preferred her space, but the way he sat at her side wasn’t all that bad.

“D’you… D’you think the others are all right?” whispered Beast Boy. “You don’t really think…”

“I’m sure they’re fine,” said Raven, curling her arms around her chest. The runes glowed on her arms, the red amber color lighting her eyes.

“Do they hurt?”

Raven looked up, glancing over at the younger boy. There was genuine concern in his deep green eyes. She shook her head.

“They’re fine.”

“Can you read them?”

“Of course.”

“Uhm… Then, would you tell me what they say?”

Raven sighed. For a long moment, she didn’t say anything. Then, in a soft whisper, she said, “It’s a spell. I have to recite it at the right time to activate it. Basically, it means… that I was born of evil and that I’m his portal, which will bring about… complete destruction of the world.”

“Hey, that’s not right,” said Beast Boy indignantly.

“What?”

“You’re not evil,” insisted Beast Boy. “You can’t be born of evil. Okay, so you got a creepy father. You’re probably not the only kid. Well… Not a demon… _the_ demon—never mind, you get what I’m saying. But that doesn’t have to have anything to do with you. You’re a good person, Rae, and even if you don’t believe me, well, I like you. So, that’s gotta mean something.”

Raven blinked, her breath catching. If Beast Boy had been pink before, he was beet red now, all the way to the tips of his ears. The next few sentences were nothing but stammering nonsense. He spluttered, obviously trying to back track.

A soft, breathy laugh exhaled from Raven’s mouth. The smile was gentle.

“I’m glad I found friends like you and the rest of the Titans,” whispered Raven. The younger boy quieted. He nodded, smiling at her.

“Me, too.”

For once, Raven wondered if the others would really stop Slade. Would her fate be stopped altogether? If only this moment could last forever. However, Raven felt his presence before he even showed himself. Beast Boy bolted to his feet, just as Slade stood at the end of the long hallway of empty shelves.

The others had failed, it seemed. Raven’s heart fell, her soul becoming resigned. She had tasted hope, only for it to be stolen.

“Stay away,” said Beast Boy, but there was a tremble inside his voice. He and Cyborg had been the only two who truly knew who and what Deathstroke had been. Raven knew what an assassin and mercenary was, but she hadn’t known just how infamous this man had once been. She could feel the young boy’s fear and courage as he stood between them.

Slade took a step forward. Beast Boy tensed. Yet, the man’s stance wasn’t threatening. Beast Boy seemed to sense this and his body softened. He looked up at the man, a pleading entering his young expression.

“Dick always said good things about you. He always believed in you,” whispered Beast Boy. There was such tender, fragile hope in his voice. “And if Dick says it, then I believe him. You wouldn’t hurt Raven, right? She’s our friend. You wouldn’t betray us, like… like Terra… _right?_ ”

Slade was standing directly in front of Beast Boy, once the boy finished, his voice growing softer with every word. The man lifted a hand and placed it on top of the spiky green hair. The action was gentle as it lightly ruffled the hair. Beast Boy looked up at the man, hope entering his eyes once more.

“ _I’m sorry_.”

Raven sucked in her breath, just as Beast Boy stiffened. Slade pulled something out of his belt, before injecting it into the boy’s neck. Beast Boy’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, before they closed. Slade caught the boy as he fell forward. Slowly, he lowered Beast Boy to the ground.

Then, he turned his head towards Raven.

Raven pressed herself against the shelf, the fear gripping her heart. The man was so different than before. Somehow, she realized that this must’ve been what Slade had been, long before he tried to take Dick as his apprentice. This wasn’t Slade, the criminal the Teen Titans fought to stop. No, this was Deathstroke, the world’s most frightening and powerful assassin.

And he was coming for her.

But there was something different about him. No matter how impassive the man seemed, there was something more going on. Normally, Slade kept his emotions back. Raven rarely could really feel his emotions, unless she tried to do so, as he usually kept them buried beneath the surface. Now, however, she could readily feel the man’s turmoil.

_He’s in so much pain._

Somehow, the fear faded away. Even as the man took a step closer to her, Raven wasn’t afraid any more. Whatever lingering fears were in her soul, they vanished away completely when the man knelt down in front of her. She looked through the single glimpse into the man’s heart, that grey blue eye.

Raven let out a soft, deprecating chuckle.

“No one can stop him, after all.”

Slade shifted slightly, but he didn’t move. It was as if he were waiting for her, for her approval. Raven curled her arms around her chest, hugging herself tightly.

“ _I’m scared_.”

“I’m sorry,” whispered Slade.

“You didn’t have a choice, did you?” asked Raven, still staring into that eye. The man paused for a moment. Then, the light in his eye darkened.

“No, I didn’t.”

Tears slipped down Raven’s cheeks. “Just like me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on March 20th:** Chapter Twenty-Five: The End – Though the remaining Titans attempt to rescue Raven, they fail, but are protected by Raven’s power. Dick’s nightmares become a reality. In a time where unity is needed beyond anything else, the discord that had seeped into the cracks of their team finally peaks. 
> 
> **Author's Notes:** Whenever anyone asked me, “So, how did Friday’s post go?” I replied with a simple, “Everyone flipped their lid.” Three weeks later, and I’m still chuckling about it. I totally thought I foreshadowed it blatantly, but ya’ll still flipped. You know, that’ll never get old. XD I wish I could respond to every review, but since I’ve been ill, I haven’t even been in contact with my best friends. Thank you so much for commenting. You never have to worry about it, because I love whatever you all say. :) Trust me, it always cheers me up.
> 
> I find it interesting when the character reactions are different than what I first intended. In the original outline, Dick was going to be angry and resentful immediately to Slade. I find it fascinating that he turned out to be in denial more and at first, determined to find the answer, instead of jumping straight to the anger and betrayal. What I find even more interesting is this is more to Dick’s inner character, while the first outline didn’t fully keep him in character. Gotta love it when the characters do what they’re supposed to. I’m only typing here, man. XD
> 
> I’m going to stick with posting three weeks right now (at least for the next post; never know what comes up now with me) because I seem to panic more with two weeks and four weeks is too long, even for me. LOL.
> 
> _Anthy_


	25. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Archive was glitchy all day for me yesterday due to the maintenance.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**The End**

 

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday, 10:26 pm.**

“I’m sorry.” There was a soft chuckle. “I’ve been saying that a lot tonight. Dick will never forgive me.”

Raven watched the man who was knelt before her. The man had looked away after his final statement. She was overwhelmed by the single fact: he wasn’t going to force her. Yet, he knelt there, reminding her of the fate that had been branded into her essence since the day of her birth.

How foolish she had been. She shouldn’t have become friends with Dick, or Beast Boy, or Starfire, or Cyborg – not a one of them. She shouldn’t have involved them in this. Now, because of who she was and what she was to become, she was causing her friends – especially Slade and Dick – such pain. Trigon would have never targeted Dick or Slade otherwise.

_Right?_

“He’ll forgive you,” whispered Raven.

There was a bitter laugh. “This is unforgiveable.”

“No. If he forgave you before, he’ll do it again – because he loves you.”

With those words, Raven knew she had touched the man’s heart. As her words repeated in her mind, for the first time in her life, she was jealous of Dick. Why had she been born to such a horrible creature? Why couldn’t she have something like Dick had found? All of the Titans were in similar situations. Dead parents, bad parents, or AWOL parents – Dick was the only one who had broken through the barrier.

The chasm between the two – Trigon and Slade – was truly enlightening. Slade was a man of mistakes. He was constantly making them, there was no doubt about it. But the difference between him and Trigon was the intent and desire.

And that made all the difference in the world to Raven.

There was a long moment, before Slade shifted his weight. “We need to go,” he said. His voice was hoarse. “Will you go?”

Further tears fell down her cheeks.

“ _Yes_.”

Raven didn’t make any movement, however. Slade leaned forward. Hands slipped behind her knees and around her middle back. They were stunningly gentle. Then, she was lifted into the air and held against a firm chest. As the man led her away and, to her surprise, walked into the inner area of the library, Raven clenched her eyes shut. She turned her head towards the man’s chest.

“ _I’m scared_ ,” whispered Raven. She didn’t expect any answer. Nor did she think there was any answer that could take away her fear. The only comfort to her fear was not having to become the portal to destruction.

Darkness slid over her mind. Raven stiffened.

_“Ah, my child. My dear, dear Raven. You mustn’t be afraid.”_

Oh, that voice. It was filled with such silky malice; such silken venom that poisoned every sense. It spoke with a whisper that penetrated every particle of the soul, seeping into the nooks and crannies, with nothing safe from its manipulation.

_Get out of my mind. You aren’t welcome._

_“Oh, my sweet Raven. Still having second thoughts, my child? You seem to be allowing my servant to bring you to me. Perhaps you are more willing than you once thought.”_

_I never wanted to do this. You’re the one who wants this._

_“And yet, you submit. Why is that? Perhaps, you know. You cannot hide from your birthright. Or perhaps you submit to save your friends further pain. Your heart, though, it saddens me. I chose to sire you for this purpose. Why are you not proud of this? It wounds me to think you are frightened of something that is a grand part of yourself.”_

_This isn’t part of me! I’m not a portal for destruction!_

_“Oh, but, child, it is. You are the means of a great wonder. You will bring destruction upon a fallen world; and, thus, in doing so, bring the world to new life. There is great glory in this. It is a new beginning.”_

_There’s no glory in destruction. There is no life in death. There’s only darkness and sorrow._

_“You cannot hide the darkness in your heart. You cannot run away from it.”_

Raven whimpered.

_“You have always been darker than your friends. Haven’t you realize this, my daughter? Your friend, Starfire, is the pure opposite of you. Could you ever hope to have that light? You are your father’s daughter. Your power comes from me. Without me, you are nothing.”_

The tears burned.

_“You cannot hide from your destiny. Just as I must come to this world, you must lead the way.”_

_I don’t want to do it! You can’t make me!_

_“Am I making you, my child? You are coming willingly, are you not? You know your heart. You know what you must do. You know who you must protect. It is true, there is no other choice, if you wish safety upon your friends. But this is your destiny. No one can hide from their destiny.”_

The arms carrying Raven tightened around her. She couldn’t stop the soft sobs that spilled from her lips. The words of her father slithered through the cracks of her heart, slowly poisoning every hope, peace, and wish she’d ever had.

“Raven,” whispered Slade. Her sobs quieted. “It’s true. There is darkness in your heart.” Raven bit her lip, her teeth digging deeply into the flesh. “But there is no possible way that you can have more darkness in yours than I have in mine.”

Raven sucked in her breath. She pulled her face out of the man’s chest and glanced up at him, suddenly wishing the mask wasn’t in place. For a moment, she stared, her mind slowly understanding what the man meant. Then, she smiled and the tears slowed.

Then, courage replaced her fear.

_“My servant speaks too frankly.”_

A touch of a smile tugged at Raven’s lips. The silken element of the voice now revealed the true nature: raw evil.

_He is a better man than you._

_“I should hope so. I am no man. Not yet, in any case.”_

_I’m aware of the history. You lost that right long ago._

_“You are growing far too insolent—”_

_Do not speak to me any more. I will be your portal, but that is all. You’re getting what you want, so leave me alone._

Raven could feel the burning fury flow over her. The runes etched in her skin flared with intense pain. She winced, but allowed no weakness to show forth.

“Thank you,” whispered Raven.

The man inclined his head. He slowly walked down a long stairway. “One can only listen to lies for so long, before one becomes extremely annoyed.”

“You could hear him?”

“Loud and clear.”

A soft laugh escaped Raven. It was then she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, why Dick loved this man. If only Cyborg wasn’t so stubborn…

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday, 10:35 pm.**

He was groggy before his eyes opened. Dick’s mind seemed to take years to catch up. There were a few things he noticed. He was lying on his back, yet he wasn’t sure why nor how he got there. It was also hard to move around, but his mind screamed for him to move. Something bugged him in the back of his mind. He knew he was missing some kind of important information…

_Dad!_

Dick bolted upward.

_No. Slade._

The voice inside his head was his own. It chilled his heart. He denied it. Slade was still _Dad_ , wasn’t he? There wasn’t an expiration date on it, was there?

_He betrayed you._

That was true. Slade had done something horrible this time, hadn’t he? Was this worse than what Slade had been in the beginning? It certainly felt that way. This time, Slade had made his choice when they already had closeness.

Was Slade _really_ siding with Trigon? But that didn’t make sense! Slade, even when the man had been Deathstroke, wasn’t a follower or a minion. Slade was a leader. It was incomprehensible. Slade was the master, not the apprentice. That was written inside the man’s very core personality.

So, _why?_ Why was this man bending to another’s will?

As more and more sinister thoughts began to seep through Dick’s mind, he squeezed his eyes shut and, with a sharp action, slapped both his cheeks with his hands. The pain flared through his skin, awaking his mind. There wasn’t time to think about this. He had to rescue Raven.

As Dick looked around, he saw Cyborg and Starfire lying near him. Starfire was slowly awakening as well. Dick crawled to her side first. He patted her arm, shaking her slightly.

“Starfire, wake up.”

She moaned, her eyes scrunching together in pain. Slowly, her hand lifted up. She touched her head as her eyes flittered open.

“Oh, my, I feel as if I have been trampled by some large beast. Is that normal?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” said Dick, helping her sit up. “Are you okay?”

“I shall be soon. I do not wish to experience this sensation again, however.”

 _You and me both_.

Dick turned his attention onto Cyborg. There was no sign of life, which was worrying. However, as Dick inspected the older teen, he found the countdown number on his arm. It had less than a minute left. Dick sat back on his heels, frowning slightly. He knew Slade had used a sedative on both of them, but such things usually took hours to wear off, not less than fifteen minutes.

What was going on?

As the numbers reached zero on Cyborg’s arm, the teen’s eyes popped open. He bolted upward, glancing around, before he calmed down.

“Where’s Slade?” demanded Cyborg.

Dick only shook his head, his lips tightening.

“Beast Boy is with Raven,” said Starfire. “We should reunite with them as soon as possible.”

“Slade’s probably gotten to them already,” said Cyborg, his expression bitter. “Who knows how long he put me out.”

“Fifteen minutes,” said Dick; his voice was hollow. Cyborg looked surprised. “Yeah, our sedatives only lasted less than fifteen minutes. Not sure why, though.”

“There is a chance, then, yes?” asked Starfire, brightening. “Perhaps, Beast Boy was able to hide Raven.”

Dick didn’t answer that. He looked over at Cyborg. “Do you know when the summer solstice begins? And are your tracking systems still working? Can you find Beast Boy and Raven?”

The other boy didn’t question his request. Cyborg checked his arm; thirty seconds passed; his expression darkened. When he looked up, Dick knew they were already too late.

“Apparently, the solstice begins at ten forty-six – that’s in less than seven minutes. Beast Boy isn’t in the same location as Raven, but he’s close.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 20th, 2009. Saturday, 10:40 pm.**

Time wasn’t on their side. Somehow, Dick knew the solstice was important. How or why, he didn’t know. Maybe when this was all over, he’d find out. As they rushed to Beast Boy’s location, the city seemed quieter than what was normal for the bustling city – but stopping to investigate wasn’t an option. They found Beast Boy inside an old library – which was beyond Dick’s comprehension – and the same situation as they rest of them: drugged. As Starfire tried to bring him to full consciousness, Cyborg checked for Raven’s location.

“What’s… going on?” asked Beast Boy, as Starfire pulled him to his feet.

“We lost. We have less than five minutes to find Raven or it’s all over,” said Dick. There was no emotion in his voice. He watched Cyborg, driving all other thoughts out of his mind. There was only one thing they had to do: _find Raven_. Nothing else mattered.

“I don’t get it. It says Raven’s nearby, but there’s nothing here,” said Cyborg, as he paced back and forth in the main hall of the library. As the same time, Beast Boy was speaking to Starfire. “In fact, it’s like…”

He stopped abruptly.

“Underground…” whispered Cyborg. His head snapped up. “She’s underground.”

“I thought it was safe here,” whispered Beast Boy. “But he found us. I didn’t protect Raven.”

Starfire drew Beast Boy into a hug. She glanced over at Dick. There was such pain those monochromatic eyes. They almost broke him.

“Come on, I think we can stop her in time,” said Cyborg, powering up his cannon. He walked towards the wall and aimed. “She isn’t moving any more and if we hurry, I think we can stop her in time.”

The cannon blasted against the wall. Debris exploded, revealing an old pathway. From where Cyborg had blasted through, the trail of the pathway appeared to start a little further in the room. They didn’t waste any more time. At seeing the spiraling stairs, which led deeper into the earth, Starfire took Dick by the hands. Beast Boy transformed into a pterodactyl and grabbed Cyborg with his talons.

Together, they took the short route downward.

As the scenery sped by, Dick could see ancient statues adorning the walls. They held such darkness in their visages. Somehow, Dick knew they were in the right place. What a perfect place for the rise of a horrible demon.

When they reached the bottom, torches burst into flames all around them. Fiery creatures poured out of the walls. Their bodies moved with the life of lava. Feared exasperation filled Dick’s chest. They didn’t have time for this! They had to reach Raven before it was too late.

But when they tensed for a fight, no monster attacked.

_‘It’s over, little Robin. My master has won.’_

Dick gritted his teeth. “Come on!” he shouted, rushing forward. The others followed him as they ran down the long hallway. The fiery monsters, which lined the walls, were ominous in their light, as if they were leading them along the path.

The enemy thought there was no need to stop them; it was _infuriating_.

Then, suddenly, the hallway opened up. It was dark, save for the lit torches along the walls. Grotesque statues spoke of ancient, forbidden rituals in their forms. A tall hand stood high in the center of the room.

And a lone figure stood in front.

Relief flooded through every soul. They all rushed to her, just as Dick cried, “Raven, are you all right?”

“Where’s Slade?” demanded Cyborg, glancing around. But the man wasn’t anywhere to be seen. In a way, Dick was glad Cyborg had been the one to ask where the man was – he didn’t feel like stumbling over what to say.

Raven was chillingly calm. She turned around. Dick’s heart broke at her expression. She seemed so resigned to her fate. _That_ was why no one had put up a fight. If Raven wasn’t going to fight it, then who could stop Trigon? It wasn’t fair! What had made her look that way— _who_ had made her feel that way!?

“Raven, you don’t have to do this,” said Dick, taking a step forward. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Your destiny is in your hands, no one else’s. Let’s go home.”

“Sometimes you can’t change your destiny, no matter how much you want to,” said Raven. “I never wanted to be Trigon’s daughter, yet I am. I never wanted to be a portal, yet I am. There’s no changing those facts.”

“But you don’t have to listen to him,” said Dick, pleadingly. “You don’t have to do it.”

“Please, Raven,” whispered Starfire. “You do not have to be this portal.”

“Come on, Rae, let’s go back home,” said Beast Boy, holding out his hand. His dark green eyes glistened gently.

“I’ll make you another BB Pinata if you come back,” said Cyborg, giving her a mischievous smile, but it was somewhat strained. Beast Boy didn’t react to the comment, only looking hopefully at Raven. A gentle smile tugged faintly against Raven’s lips.

“I never wanted to hurt any of you,” whispered Raven.

“We’re your friends,” said Dick. “It’s not about being hurt.”

“Then, be my friend,” whispered Raven. “And let me go.”

Before any of them could intervene, Raven lifted her hands, the black light of her power encasing them, and trapped the Titans in a dome of black. Something gentle entered Dick’s heart a moment later. It felt warm, even filled with life and power. A soft whisper glanced against his ear. Words lifted through his mind.

_“Don’t forget: he loves you.”_

None of the remaining Titans were about to let Raven have the final say, though they didn’t have the ability to change her decision. All four fought against the barrier, giving it all their power to break through. But Raven was more powerful than they had ever truly given her credit for.

When it became obvious that they couldn’t break through, they stood there, watching their friend rising toward the top of the stone pillar. Only Beast Boy continued to desperately try to break the barrier. Finally, when his energy failed, he fell to his knees, leaning his forehead against the barrier. Starfire fell into Dick’s arms and clung to him, keeping her back towards Raven.

Dick closed his eyes when Raven reached the top of the pillar. Her voice rang clear through the vaulted room.

“The gem was born of evil’s fire.”

_This wasn’t happening._

“The gem shall be his portal.”

_Someone stop her!_

“He comes to claim; he comes to sire.”

_Why were they so powerless? Why couldn’t they stop her?_

“The end of all things mortal.”

Starfire’s arms tightened; Dick responded in kind. For a moment, everything seemed unimaginable. It was mind boggling to even think about what was truly going to happen. There was nothing normal about this moment. They were witnessing a girl becoming a portal, one which would lead a terrible demon into their world – which would then effectively destroy all life on the earth.

For all the crazy things that happened in Dick’s life, this one was the extreme. How was that even real to begin with?

The desire for normality was becoming burdensome. How many times had Dick wished for it? How many times had he been so thankful for those moments that made him feel like a normal kid? How he had flourished so much beneath such a life.

But now, nothing would ever been the same again.

There was no future. There was no more family. There would be no more life. Dick would never grow up, neither would the rest of his friends. He would never tell Starfire how he felt about her. He would never have the chance to start a family. He would never have the chance to fill Slade’s home with so many munchkins, the man would want to pull out his hair. Dick would never know the truth. He would never know why Slade sided with Trigon. In the end, would they die with the destruction? Or would they survive along a barren land? Would they be subjected to serve an almighty demon?

Why was it that it always seemed as if the good times would never last?

Raven’s screams jolted every heart. No amount of smashing against the barrier could break it. No eye was truly dry. When Raven’s screams died away, an explosion blasted through the barrier.

The last thing Dick remembered was that familiar, horrific voice he’d heard so many times in his nightmares. Yet, this time, it sounded so triumphant.

_“Earth is finally mine!”_

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 5:08 am.**

It permeated the mind.

Can’t breathe.

Dick ached, the darkness suffocating in its strength. He couldn’t escape; it was too strong. There was no hope. He wanted to lift his hand; he wanted someone to take his hand and pull him out of the darkness. Where was the warmth of life? So lost. _So very lost_. He wasn’t going to escape. He would be swallowed in the darkness for eternity.

_Someone, help me!_

Light shone through the darkness. It felt familiar; something about the trilling, lilting nature to the light was so nostalgic. Before Dick could locate the source, his mind awakened.

The first thing that assaulted his senses was the smell. He recognized it; though, it was different than before. The sound was the same, however; as was the air. The smell was the only thing that differed.

Dick opened his eyes. The air stung; the air was toxic; the air burned.

As he opened his eyes, a terrible chill slid down his back. The entire landscape was been burned; the city littered with its destruction. Dick watched in horror as every detail of his dream was in front of his eyes.

His heart nearly stopped.

It had been true. His dream hadn’t been just a dream. More like a vision of the future; a premonition of the terror to happen. But how? He didn’t have any powers. He was mortal, a normal human being. He wasn’t like the other Titans. His skills lied with his dedication in training. Sure, he had skills that others didn’t have, but he was still human.

So, how did he have so many dreams warning him of the future?

Dick slowly stood up and began to walk through the desolate city. His footsteps were aimless as he wandered. The air was hot and heavy, making it difficult to breathe. He curled his arms around his waist in a small hug. There was a weight in his heart, nearly crushing it completely. There was nothing but destruction and red skies surrounding him. It was so _silent_. But it wasn’t the pleasant silence of fallen snow in the middle of the night – like those he’d experience in Gotham – no, it was the silence of no life in its complete absolute. The threatening sensation on his entire soul was the weight of loneliness eating away at his heart.

Just like in the dream.

But he hadn’t counted on its source. There was no possible way he could’ve imagined that the source would be Slade. The man had gone back on his word. The one thing that Dick depended in his life, the one thing that had even outranked the Titans – his new father, Slade, had betrayed his word. It probably would’ve been better if Slade had taken one of his guns and shot a hole inside Dick’s heart – the pain was the same. Death, perhaps, would’ve been better than survival in this now desolate world.

This was far more crushing then the moment he had tested the man and briefly thought that he couldn’t trust him.

No, that time seemed like a gentle moment in time; a moment of happiness and joy compared to the total overwhelming grief that tore apart Dick. It was gnawing, burning, tearing, _destroying_ everything that he ever knew inside. The fragileness of his life shattered.

And, of course, on top of it all, the world had fallen to a demon of unimaginable power.

The feeling of aloneness was so real – _too real_. His dream had predicted this. There hadn’t been anything that had the power to stop this. He was powerless, a weak human. What had he been thinking all this time? All those people he protected and saved – they were all dead now; destroyed under a demon’s power.

Dick stopped. His stomach turned. Shock and horror poured through his entire being at the sight before him.

It was a person, someone unknown, but not of any less importance. They were frozen in time, somewhat similar to what had happened to Terra. They were simply a statue, but their face was clenched, twisted, and contorted in fear and pain.

Dick closed his eyes, the image burned in his mind. It was all too much. The horrific nature pressed against his tender heart. Perhaps, if this had happened a year ago, his heart would’ve locked it all away and ignored it. Robin could handle anything.

But because of the gift he’d been given, because of the unlocking of his heart and melding both Robin and Dick back together, Dick’s true nature surfaced. It was raw and unprotected; gentle and tender; sensitive to anything and everything.

This was horrible, far more horrible than he could’ve ever imagined.

The nausea overwhelmed him. Dick bolted to the side, clutching his stomach as he threw up over the edge of a rock – which was once a tall building. The fiery, terrible smell in the air sickened Dick’s senses. Death was all around him and he couldn’t stop it. He was but a mere child with no power to escape from the cruelty of the world.

Once he regained himself, Dick found that his direction turned. He ignored the statues; he ignored the destruction; he ignored the lifeless nature of the world; he ignored the deadened silence of the land. Dick found his steps taking him to one place. His steps were slow, at first, but as his heart pounded against his chest, his steps quickened.

His heart denied his mind. His heart ignored every thought that played.

Soon, his steps were pounding against the ground. A stitch quickly formed in his chest. But he never stopped running. The destruction upon the city had changed the landscape greatly, but somehow, Dick knew where to go. When he came to the alleyway and the abandoned warehouse that he had once called home, his heart screamed.

The door was gone. The gears had been reduced to rubble. Nothing looked the same. Everything was greyed with death, as if time had passed thousands of years into the future. Dick rushed through the debris, going straight to the kitchen.

Or what was left of it.

But that wasn’t the most terrible of it all.

While much of the kitchen was in ruin, part of the kitchen table remained. There was a statue there, sitting at its crippled surface, as if life hadn’t just been frozen in time. Wintergreen was seated there, with his hands clasped and his elbows resting against the surface of the table. He was gazing with focused eyes at the kitchen door, obviously waiting for their return. He, too, was frozen like all the others with grey, lifeless skin.

Dick collapsed to his knees.

He covered his mouth, his hand dragging over his face. Tears flooded his vision, blurring the terrible image burned in his eyes.

It was all over.

Nothing was going to be the same again. It could never be the same. They could’ve stopped this, but they had allowed it to happen. If only the energy spent taking Raven away had been put into protecting her. This could’ve been prevented.

_It was over._

Dick hunched over; his arms curled around his chest; wracking sobs shattered through his body. The loss was greater than he could have ever imagined. The death of his parents had ripped a void in his heart. For it to happen a second time – perhaps even a third, if he counted that brief moment of grief he’d felt when Slade had been shot – was simply too much to bear.

It was both numbing and overwhelming in its pain. As the tears burned their way through, forcing themselves from his eyes, the pain of everything oppressed his very soul. It came in terrible, never ending waves of sorrow.

He wasn’t aware of the moments that passed. He was drowning. Then, when all seemed lost, when it seemed as if Dick was going to descend into the despair forever, two gentle – _and very much alive_ – hands pried him out of his position and drew him into a crushingly comforting hug.

Dick clung to the live body. It was a different comfort than the one he’d come to crave and love. This felt something more. This felt special. A familiar, yet unknown scent wafted over his senses. Relief rose inside his heart.

_She was alive._

Her scent reminded him of flying and the freedom which it brought. However, it held a burnt tint to its fragrance. _Oh, but it was warm and alive._ Dick buried his face in it, dampening the fire red strands of hair with his tears. His neck, in turn, became wet with her tears. Sobs melded together, forming one track of mourning.

It was an intimate moment for the both of them; though, neither would fully understand its meaning until much later. There was something tender in the embrace, something ever so heart wrenching about the two of them clinging to each other, as they poured out every sorrowful feeling with the soul.

There was no awareness of time. There was no awareness of life.

There were only two.

Then, after time passed and after the sobs lessened to quiet breathing, Starfire pulled out of their hug. Dick breathed through his mouth, while she sniffled loudly. The two of them were a wreck. They never moved from their positions, staying knelt upon the ground, facing each other. Dick’s eyes hurt; his chest hurt; _everything hurt_. Starfire’s eyes were tinged around the edges with red, her tears still pressed there.

“He was waiting for us,” whispered Dick. He needed to speak, to say something. His voice was hoarse from his previous sobs. “He was obviously waiting. For him, we’ll never come home. He’ll always be waiting… It’ll never be the same again!”

His eyes burned. Tears flooded in his vision.

“You must not say that,” whispered Starfire, her hands squeezing his arms gently. Tears slipped down her cheeks. “We can change things. Nothing is truly permanent.”

Dick wiped the terrible, burning tears from his eyes.

_Wasn’t that the truth?_

“I have looked across the land,” said Starfire, her voice still soft. “All life is frozen, as Terra was before. I have not found the others, however. I believe they are alive, as you and I are.”

She dropped her tone and leaned closer to him. At any other time, Dick would’ve spluttered in blushing embarrassment from the closeness. However, he didn’t notice, but relished in the contact of another life. Their foreheads touched.

“I have looked, but… I have yet to find Rose or Joey. They are not here with Will.”

Further pain twisted in his chest.

“We cannot linger here, Dick,” continued Starfire. He could hear the strained emotion in her voice. “We must find the others.”

Dick nodded, their skin brushing against each other.

“Did you find…”

He didn’t want the answer. He didn’t want to know. There were too many mixed feelings on the matter. It was better to ignore the problem than face it straight on. It was better to bury his head in the sand, than come to the realization that Slade had turned Raven over to a terrible demon, who effectively destroyed all life on the planet – including his own family.

It made no sense!

“I have not found your father, no.”

Dick stiffened.

“He’s not…He can’t be… not any more.”

For the first time, from the time the papers had been presented to him, he felt sick. _Your father…_ It was sickening to hear those words. How could Slade do this?

“Dick, you cannot give up on him.”

It was then that all hopeful feeling fled from Dick’s heart.

“Look around you!” cried Dick, drawing away from Starfire. Pain flashed through her eyes at his withdrawal. “This is so much worse than just…”

“Slade is not a man of whim,” whispered Starfire. “Surely you would not hate—”

“He worked with Trigon!” snapped Dick. “He hurt you – he hurt all of us to get to Raven, just to destroy the entire world!”

“And my sister sold me into slavery for her own personal gain,” said Starfire; her voice was quiet, yet her words were powerful. Her tone softened. “If I had not fought against my captors, if I had not met you and the others, then a terrible fate would have befallen me. And it would have been by _her_ doing.”

Every muscle inside Dick’s heart chilled. He calmed as he stared into those monochromatic eyes.

“She is not a nice person. I know that. I do not understand it, but I know it. Yet, she is still my sister and I shall always love her.”

There was something stirring about her words. Dick knew how much his mind wanted to scream and deny Slade’s true nature, but his heart had always been stronger, hadn’t it? He _knew_. His heart agreed with her. His mind simply had to catch up.

Dick could only nod, unable to trust his voice. He glanced over at Wintergreen. His heart twisted. He looked away, before slowly getting to his feet. He held out his hand and pulled Starfire up.

Dick was tempted to take one last look at the old man, but a squeeze of his hand forced his gaze towards Starfire. She gave him a slightly watery smile. Dick returned it. Together, hand in hand, they left the broken home.

As they walked through the ruins of the city, it took all of Dick’s self control to avoid looking at any of the people. Though their petrified appearance was far different than the gruesome image in his old nightmares, they were still painful to see. The only goal now was to reunite with the others. Looking at the destruction too closely would only bring painful feelings – betrayal, anger, fear, sorrow, they were all too much to handle right now.

Then, a black feather appeared, gently falling to rest upon a nearby rock. Dick never released Starfire’s hand as they walked to the feather. He reached for it. When his fingers touched it, the feather disintegrated into dust.

“Was that not the feather of a…”

Dick nodded. “A raven’s feather.”

“Then…”

Another feather fluttered nearby. Soon, there was a trail of feathers, every one leading in a single direction. Wordlessly, Dick and Starfire walked to the next feather. As they reached it, the feather faded away like the first.

“Raven is leading us,” whispered Starfire, relief in her voice. She tightened her hold on Dick’s hand. The touch was growing damp, but Dick never wanted to let go. It was too much of a lifeline.

They silently followed the trail of feathers. It wasn’t until a few feathers later that Dick realized where they were being led: _that horrible library_. His stomach turned at the thought.

But the sign of green and blue in a sea of crimson black was a sight to behold.

“Friends!” cried Starfire. She rushed forward, dragging Dick along. Relief was inside Beast Boy’s eyes when he caught sight of them. He ran forward to meet them, just in time to be crushed into a hug from Starfire.

“Oh, you are all well. Glory to X’hal for our good fortune,” murmured Starfire, as she continued to hug the youngest. Beast Boy squirmed, but he seemed content to accept the crushing hug.

“I’m not sure I’d call it good fortune,” muttered Cyborg. He sat down on a nearby fallen stone. “But it’s still good to see that you’re all right.”

“I brought her here!” cried Beast Boy; Starfire tried to soothe him. “I should’ve known the bad guy would make his hideout in a library! And I was trying to be smart! Like I’m gonna try that again…”

Dick could barely manage a cracked smile. Starfire sat down, with Beast Boy sticking to her side. She kept her arm around him. Dick sat on her other side, not quite touching, but close enough to feel her presence. They all looked at each other, but it seemed nothing could be said. As all four of them continued in the silence, Dick felt the urgency to fight against Trigon, to change their fate. _But_ … He couldn’t seem to draw up the will power to do so. They were the only living beings on the planet. They had to fight back. They had to, in the very least, put up a struggle against this horrible fate.

It seemed to difficult, though, to be honest – too tiring.

“This wouldn’t have happened if Slade hadn’t helped Trigon,” said Cyborg. Starfire sucked in her breath. Dick glanced up at the older teen. The expression on Cyborg’s face was haunted, but filled with irritated anger.

They were all thinking it, but why did Cyborg have to bring it up?

“Cyborg,” whispered Starfire. The light in her eyes hardened. “Do not do this now.”

“Oh, I think it needs to be said,” said Cyborg, his tone growing darker. “Robin made a mistake, a deadly one, and now we have to deal with the fallout.”

“ _A mistake?_ ” echoed Dick; his voice was hollow. “What do you mean by that?”

Cyborg leaned forward. “You became too emotionally involved with Slade and it backfired. Personally, I think you were partly brainwashed, but you insisted that everything was all right. You stayed with the man. Playing the part is your fault, too.”

Dick’s mouth slowly dropped, as he stared at the other teen.

“Cyborg, I have already spoken with you on this matter—”

“Rob needs to hear the cold, hard facts, Star,” said Cyborg. “Slade played him from the beginning, it’s obvious; and until Robin gets a wakeup call, he’ll never be able to move on.”

Starfire said something, her voice rising, but Dick never heard it.

_Was is all a lie?_

Was it really all just a lie? Did Slade lead him along from the beginning to this point? Just so he could make a deal with a devil to destroy the world?

If that were true… _No_ , it couldn’t be true. It was too crazy to even comprehend.

_But what if…_

Oh, gosh, that would’ve been far more devastating than Dick could even begin to imagine.

“Cyborg, Dick has not been this…” Starfire gestured in exasperation, obviously unable to fully understand the word. “—brainwashed. Slade has not been plotting this, either. It is foolish to even think that.”

“You don’t know Deathstroke, Star,” said Cyborg. “That guy is one of the smartest criminals in the world. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“You say that, but you do not truly know him either.”

“The age of Deathstroke was _infamous_.”

“He…” began Beast Boy. When all eyes turned to him, his ears flicked upward. He looked nervous to interject into the intense conversation, but he plowed forward bravely. “Slade said he was sorry. Hey, I’m not happy about what he did, but… I really don’t think he wanted to, you know?”

Starfire’s eyes brightened. “What if Trigon forced him?”

Cyborg snorted. “Oh, please. No one forces _Slade_ to do anything he doesn’t want to. It’s obvious. We fell for his tricks good and hard. Now we’ve gotta pick up the pieces and start over.”

“It wasn’t all a trick,” whispered Dick. _It couldn’t be._

“ _No?_ ” snapped Cyborg. “You’ve gotta face the facts, Rob.”

“I know what he did. I get it, I was there,” said Dick, his tone darkening. “But I really don’t believe that everything was a lie. He was sincere. We were…”

_We were a family. We were father and son. He was someone who filled the role. He was Dad._

“That’s where I think it’s weird,” said Cyborg; his tone was suggestive. Dick looked at the other teen. A chill went down his back at the light in Cyborg’s eyes. “I definitely think you were brainwashed. You have some weird, sick infatuation with the man. It’s just not natural. I dunno what’s wrong with you!”

_What?_

It took Dick a few moments before the horrible truth slammed into his mind. “You think…” he breathed, his mouth dropping. “You think that he and I… _But that’s_ …” Dick bolted to his feet. “How could you even suggest such a vulgar thing!?”

Cyborg stood up as well, his height towering over Dick’s slight frame. “Well, if the shoe fits, _wear it!_ ”

“There’s no shoe to wear!” snapped Dick, incredulous. The two older boys were unaware of the confused looks that Starfire and Beast Boy were exchanging. “What is your problem, anyway? You know how I feel about him. Why do you have to twist it into something it’s not, huh?!”

“There’s no other way to describe it!”

“ _Uh_ ,” drawled Dick sarcastically, “how about _father and son?!_ ”

Cyborg scoffed. “Oh, yeah, sure. If you wanna call it that.”

Hurt flared inside Dick’s chest. “What else would you call it?” he demanded. “I don’t understand you any more. You’re the only one who insists on always calling me Robin. You haven’t really looked me in the eye for weeks now and when you do, I feel this underline anger. It’s like you have a bigger problem than it just being _Slade_. It’s like you have a problem with…”

As Cyborg avoided his eyes, the realization bloomed inside Dick. He glanced over at Starfire, who gave him a saddened expression. She nodded slightly.

“It’s me,” whispered Dick. “All this time…”

It was so different than the last time the two of them fought. It wasn’t just a petty fight, where childish words were thrown. No… The other teen actually disliked him… for being himself.

It was such a strange, yet extremely painful insight.

“No, it’s Slade,” said Cyborg. “You and Slade. The way you act around him, like he’s the best thing to ever happen to you. He’s not, okay? He’s the worst thing to ever happen to you. He stole you from us. He hurt you. He brainwashed you. He’s—”

“For the last time, I’m not brainwashed!”

“—got some weird control over you and you let him— _why do you let him?!_ ”

Dick took a deep breath. “That’s still a problem with _me_ ,” he said softly. Cyborg looked away. That alone said it all. As he continued, he whispered. “You have a problem with _Dick Grayson_. What is it about him that you don’t like? Is it because he’s not _Robin?_ ”

“You changed,” whispered Cyborg. “You’re so different. It’s like you’re a different person.”

“People change. It’s what they do,” said Dick, his tone rising. “We wouldn’t be alive if we never changed – even animals adapt and change with time. We’re teenagers, for crying out loud. We never stay the same!”

“But—”

“ _I had to change!_ ” shouted Dick. “I couldn’t be fake any more. I couldn’t take it any more. I couldn’t act as someone I wasn’t, not in that environment. I tried to hide, but… You don’t know it all. You’ve never experienced what I had to go through. You don’t understand what it’s like having to hide behind a mask. I had to adapt or else I wouldn’t have survived.”

“Yeah, well, this whole thing with Slade should be over, then. You should’ve broken away from him—”

“But that’s just it!” cried Dick. “ _He_ was the first to change. _He_ was _always_ the one to make the first move. You can’t fake that. You can’t fake that much subtlety. His change was so slow, yet I could see it. Without that, I could’ve never opened up. I could never return to the days where I’d been _Dick Grayson._ ”

“You were played good,” said Cyborg, his tone dark. “Trust me, Rob, it’s been a lie. There’s no way Slade could change like that. It just doesn’t happen. Bad guys don’t change.”

Dick sucked in his breath. The environment around them wasn’t exactly good for their health. The scent in the air was toxic. Now, it was beginning to get to Dick. Either it was that, or Cyborg’s words were finally settling within his heart.

“No, you’re wrong,” whispered Dick. His arms curled around his chest. “You just see what you want to see.”

“The same could be said for you.”

“He didn’t lie about it.”

“He did.”

The air caught inside Dick’s throat.

“He wouldn’t lie about _that_.”

_He said it. He wouldn’t say that so easily._

“Cyborg,” interjected Starfire, her voice strong and stern. “You must stop this immediately.”

“He needs to know, Star.”

“This is not the time, nor do I believe what you are saying is truth.”

 

Without fully noticing, Dick slowly lowered to a crouch. His arms were still curled around his chest. He hunched over.

_It hadn’t been a lie… Right? All those times he had said… It wasn’t a lie. He loved me… Didn’t he? Oh, gosh, tell me it all wasn’t a lie!_

“Dick, are you all right?”

Dick’s breath caught in his throat. Everything began to crush him. Suddenly, he was having that all too familiar feeling, one he hadn’t experienced in months and one he certainly didn’t think he’d have to go through again.

Brilliant timing, that was.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong with him?”

_Can’t breathe._

“He is not breathing correctly!”

_Scared. What’s wrong? Why?_

“He’s having a panic attack—see, _this_ isn’t normal!”

_Panic attack. Why again?_

Soft hands touched him. Dick curled further into himself, unknowing of the chaos blaring around him. Starfire failed in pulling him out of the attack. As the other two boys continued to argue loudly, with Starfire’s soft words unable to penetrate the attack, Dick’s breathing only worsened.

“Cy, we gotta help him!”

“He shouldn’t be having a panic attack in the first place!”

“Don’t be a jerk! We gotta get him out of it! _Ach_ , what d’we do?!”

“Both of you, please stop fighting! It is not helping. _Calm down_.”

Black dots formed inside Dick’s eyes. No words broke through his mind. There was a medley of voices, yet he couldn’t hear them. All sound became drowned. His breathing was suffocating. He was going to pass out. Oh. It would be better that way. Then, maybe, when he woke up, this would all be just a terrible nightmare.

_Nightmare. What a nightmare._

“ _You!_ ”

Strong hands grabbed Dick by the shoulders. They were familiar.

“ _Get away from him!_ ”

“No, Cyborg, please stop!”

“Cy, he’s just trying to help!”

“ _He’s a little late for that, ain’t he?!_ ”

Through the chaos, one clear voice rang through Dick’s ears, tearing him out of the darkness.

“ _Son, breathe!_ ”

Air flooded his lungs.

Something inside Dick knew to obey that voice. _That voice_. That voice was his father, wasn’t it? He had to listen. His father knew what to do. Everything was going to be all right now, wasn’t it? They didn’t have to do it all alone now. There was an adult, someone who could handle all this.

That voice was warmth; it was life; it was deeply rooted inside Dick’s heart. It was part of him. That voice had brought him out of the darkness so many times. That voice had brought him happiness, sorrow, warmth, family – everything Dick had missed for so many years, that voice embodied it all.

_Who was that voice again?_

And that was all it took.

_Dad! Everything has gone wrong. Trigon destroyed everything! We were betrayed. Raven is missing. Wintergreen is a statue now—he can’t be dead. We have to save him somehow. What are we going to do? How can we fix this?_

_We were betrayed…_

Dick slowly opened his eyes. Orange and black filled his vision. He gasped, scrambling backwards away from the man. Grey blue shone through the sea of orange. Pain flashed through it as Dick hurried to put distance between them.

That voice was also the voice of the betrayer.

He had defended the man so perfectly. His feelings had rang through every word he’d spoken. He had meant them, in a way – at least in his heart. To hear someone else disparage his father had made him defend the man.

 _However_ …

Seeing him here and wearing that horrible mask, after all he’d done, after all that had come about – _after seeing Wintergreen_ – all those good feelings and all those defending words disappeared, now all filled with absolute enraged betrayal towards one name; the man who wasn’t his father.

 _Slade._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on April 10th:** Chapter Twenty-Six: Title of Endearment – All the rage and anger of Slade’s betrayal peaks inside Dick’s heart. As he lashes out at the man, a glimpse into Slade’s reasoning is revealed. When Slade tells them that they can still save Raven, will Dick be able work with the man once more?


	26. Title of Endearment

 

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**Title of Endearment**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 7:05 am.**

“ _You_ ,” snarled Dick, the fury rising up above all the other emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. He scrambled backwards again, before bolting to his feet. He glared at Slade. “How _dare_ you show your face here!”

“Uh… He’s still wearing the mask,” said Beast Boy in a tentative voice. A second later, he appeared to regret those words. Dick threw the younger member of the team the darkest glare yet. Beast Boy’s ears drooped slightly and he scampered behind Starfire, hiding like a frightened puppy. Dick whirled his glare back onto Slade, slicing a hand through the air.

“Get away from me, you _traitor_.”

“Dick, I have no time for your childish—”

“ _No time?!_ ” screamed Dick, so loudly that his throat broke his voice. “ _No time!?_ We have _all_ the time in the world because of _you!_ ”

“Dick, _listen_ to me—”

“ _No!_ ” shouted Dick, curling his arms around his waist and continuing to glare at Slade. The panic rose in his throat, his breathing catching. But he forced the attack back. “Stay away from us. You stay away from _me_. You betrayed me. You promised— _you_ _promised!_ You said you wouldn’t do this kind of stuff any more. You said you were a man of your word. But… it was all a lie, wasn’t it?” The tears were now flowing down Dick’s face. He let them. He didn’t bother to wipe them away. He wanted this man to know just how much he had torn his heart out. But… _Maybe_ … Slade didn’t even care; further tears fell. “You went back on your word, when that was the _only_ thing I could depend on. It’s gone now; I can’t trust you.” His breath caught in his throat as words flew out. “ _You’re no longer my father!_ ”

There was a wave of pain that washed over Slade. Pure agony whirled inside the only human feature visible to their gaze – that single grey blue eye. A part of Dick’s heart cried out for hurting Slade’s feelings, but the more dominate side screamed in anguish and torment because of the overwhelming betrayal. This was far worse than Terra’s betrayal. Even though that one had hurt, it didn’t compare to _this_.

After all they had been through together – he, Dick and Slade – after those hard months of feeling like the man’s captive, after all those tumultuous feelings; after all the laughter, after all the tears, after all the pain, after all the newfound hope – after _all_ that, the pain of this betrayal was too much for Dick’s heart. The man whom he had placed all his hope and all his trust upon had turned his back on him. Slade had once passed that test of trust; the man _had_ passed – this shouldn’t be happening.

_This shouldn’t be happening!_

The tears were flowing faster down Dick’s cheeks as he looked at the man whom he had considered a father, a strength, an anchor; one whom he had gained so much comfort and love from, one whom he had loved in return. _It was all a lie_. The anger threatened to destroy all he ever knew. On top of everything – on top of _the end of the world_ – Dick’s own tiny, special world had been destroyed, the remnants of that world burning to ashes of what had been.

The world of having a father at his side.

Slade let out a low sigh, putting a hand to the forehead of his mask and shaking his head lightly.

“All children get mad at their parents, Dick. It’s only natural—”

“ _No!_ ” cried Dick. “You, _Slade_ —” A flash of pain and anger lighted inside Slade’s grey blue eye. “—are no longer my parent. You lost that right!”

Then, the pent up remaining fury bubbled through Dick’s core. With a fierce cry, he rushed forward, wishing with all his might to land just a single hit on this man. He wanted his fist to shatter that mask. He wanted to give the man a well deserved black eye – even if the man healed far too fast. But Slade dodged each blow that came at him, moving on the defense. Dick’s vision was blurry as he threw each punch with muted screams in his throat. Finally, one of his punches was caught in the man’s hand. He responded automatically by swinging his leg towards the man’s face.

It was caught as well. A sob broke Dick’s lips briefly as memories of the past flooded through his mind – reminded of the very first fight he had in the haunt with the man. This time, however, Slade didn’t let go nor did he retaliate.

“ _Fight back, Slade!_ ” screamed Dick, trying to wrench his fist free. He was in an awkward position, with his fist and ankle captured.

“You will stop this immediately,” said Slade in a low voice, one that only Dick could hear. “You will show me respect.”

“ _As if!_ ” shouted Dick. He threw his body backwards, drawing his free leg upward to kick. His fist and ankle were released as Slade blocked the blow. Dick flipped back and continued the fight, thrusting every punch he could without stopping.

“You will stop calling me by name,” snapped Slade, his grey blue eye flashing with anger and pain. “You will show me some respect or face the consequences.”

Dick let out a scream of hate as he rushed forward once more. He was stopped as Slade grabbed him by the wrists, halting him from his attack. Dick struggled fiercely in the hold, the tears flowing down his cheeks once again. They burned his eyes.

“Let me go, Slade!”

“Stop calling me that.”

“You don’t deserve to be called anything else, you _traitor!_ You have no right to demand anything from me!”

“Stop struggling and _listen to me!_ ”

Dick’s ferocity and fury came to its climax. The pressure in his chest threatened to explode. He bared his teeth at the man, feeling all the terror and pain that had been placed on his soul because of recent events. He stopped struggling in Slade’s grasp and glared up at the man. Before he could hold himself back, before he could remember that his friends could hear him, he let forth a number of derogatory terms in Slade’s honor. The expletives fell from his mouth like sludge as he spat them out.

The shock which entered that grey blue eye would’ve been comical if Dick hadn’t been so furious.

However, the moment for comedy was extremely short as that very same grey blue eye narrowed dangerously, a level of frightening, yet controlled irritation billowing there. There wasn’t even a second to blink away the angry tears. The man released his wrists, but there was no time to dash to freedom, as a second later, Dick suddenly found himself bent over and tucked into Slade’s side.

Then, it was in that moment Dick figured out what Slade was about to do.

There was a chorus of gasps from his friends, causing Dick’s fury flamed face to be replaced with a brief flush of embarrassment. A second later, a very hard hand connected with his posed backside, the all too familiar sting blossoming there and the solitary sound echoing in the stillness of the air. He squeezed his eyes shut, the tears of his rage and agony of heart dropping to dead earth below.

As a second hard swat landed on his seat, Dick began to struggle against Slade’s side. There was no way on this destroyed earth he was going to allow Slade to do this to him – in front of his friends no less. _No!_ However – and he obviously didn’t know it – Starfire had forced the two boys to turn their backs on this event to give father and son a private moment, even to the point of forcibly struggling against Cyborg, even threatening bodily harm to the older teen, from interfering on Dick’s behalf. Of course, it certainly didn’t shield them from the sound that was created by the third swat.

“ _Stop it!_ ” demanded Dick, pushing against Slade’s unyielding torso with both his hands. The man’s arm was made of iron as always, however. It tightened its hold around his waist.

“How _dare_ you speak to me in such a way!” shouted Slade, his voice filled with a dark tone that would’ve normally stilled Dick. “Now stop it; you have two more. You better hold still and stop this nonsense or there will be additional swats.”

“You can’t do this to me!” snapped Dick, beginning to hit Slade’s back with clenched fists. “ _You can’t!_ You have no right! _You have no right to parent me!_ ”

“Oh, I mostcertainly _can_ and I most certainly _will_ ,” said Slade with a snap of his own, his tone thoroughly severe and stern. That hand connected once more to Dick’s backside as he spoke. Pain flared up again, countering the pain within his heart. “ _I am your father_. I have _every_ right to discipline such unruly behavior and uncouth language. You will stop this or be subjected to further punishment. We don’t have time to deal with your childish tantrums!”

“ _You’re not my father any more!_ ”

Dick’s body was shaken once.

“I have adoption papers stating otherwise,” hissed Slade in a quick breath. “You can’t drop me when it suits you. You are the child. I am the adult.”

“ _Look around you!_ ” screamed Dick, forgetting they had an audience. “Everything’s destroyed. _Nothing_ matters any more, because _you_ helped Trigon return. Even Will—” Dick’s voice broke briefly. He gasped a shuddering breath,  before he found his voice again. “You could’ve stopped him—you could’ve _helped_ us! Instead, you had to be the enemy! _Why?!_ ”

There was a pause, but Slade didn’t release his hold.

“There was no stopping this.”

The man’s answer was hoarse.

“What kind of bull crap is that?” cried Dick, his chest heaving once. “We could’ve stopped this! We’re heroes, it’s what we do!”

There was an exasperated huff from Slade. His arm tightened again around Dick’s waist. It quickly became apparent that Slade wasn’t going to only deliver two more swats like he had said. Instead, there was now a constant sound which echoed in the air as Slade’s hand continued to rain down on Dick’s seat.

The pain that allocated there was nowhere near as painful as what had collected inside Dick’s heart.

“ _I hate you, Slade!_ ” screamed Dick, his heart twisting so hard that it felt like a knife stabbing him. The tears continued to fall unobstructed. “Go join Trigon’s little army since you’re _so_ happy the world has been destroyed.”

There was one final almighty slap to his seat before he was righted. In that instant, Dick attempted to get away from the man, wanting nothing more than to run away from everything, _him_ especially – but large hands clasped his shoulders before he could escape. He tried to wrench himself free, thrashing wildly in the man’s hands. His chest heaved in his heavy breaths, the pain in his heart felt as if it would burst the very organ – it was hurting so much, he barely noticed the sting the impromptu wallops had created. With a satisfied glow of triumph, Dick managed to kick the man in the shin. There was a low growling groan, but that was all. Then, Dick was given a tremendous shake, causing his head to snap back slightly.

“ _Enough!_ ” shouted Slade, his terrifying tone stilling Dick. He whipped his head upward to glare at the man. Those hands squeezed Dick’s flesh and Slade’s chest rose in a few angry breaths.

“Three things,” began Slade sternly, his grey blue eye flashing dangerously through his mask—and that was one of the things that bugged Dick about this whole crap that Slade was pulling. Couldn’t the man do him the simple courtesy of being glared at to his face? Dick wanted to see the man’s reactions to his full blown anger and rage. “The first, you will _never_ use such language _ever_ again – to me or to anyone else. I never want to hear such horrific profanity from your lips again or – _so help me!_ – you won’t sit down for a week _and_ your tongue will be scrubbed down with Will’s strongest detergent. _Am I understood?_ ”

Dick clamped his mouth shut, glowering up at the man through glistening eyes. No way he was going to answer; no way he was going to give this man power over him. This was far different than before. This wasn’t just a simple power struggle between the Hero and the Villain as it was in the beginning. Dick was _not_ going to let this man win.

He was sharply shaken once.

“ _Answer me!_ ”

Dick sucked in his breath at the frightening tone the man was taking. He squeezed his eyes shut. No, he wasn’t going to allow the man get away with this. He couldn’t betray him, _help destroy the world_ , and go back to being a father to him. It just didn’t work that way.

Dick’s eyes popped open as he was roughly turned to the side and rewarded with a sharp clout against his already stinging backside. A moment later, he was facing Slade once more.

“ _Well?_ ”

Automatically, Dick nodded jerkily, his locked jaw trembling as he gave into this man – _like he always did_. Yet, he still refused a verbal answer and glared with renewed vigor.

“Second,” continued Slade, his eye flaring once. “Just because you’re _heroes_ – as you say – doesn’t make you all powerful. _Especially you!_ There will just be some things _you cannot do_. Stopping a bodiless interdimensional demon, who is the devil _himself_ , just happens to be one of them.”

Dick’s face scrunched up in anger and disgust – but Slade continued before he could interject his protests.

“And _third_ ,” said Slade, his chest lifting once in a deep breath. Then, like a switch, the tension in his body relaxed. It caused a ripple effect and Dick calmed against his will. He’d seen this before, this body language: as if Slade were about to reveal some vulnerability inside of himself. When Slade continued, his low voice cracked slightly with emotion, “And third… I would have never required a title of endearment from you, not after your first parents, not after your first father.”

Dick’s left shoulder was released as Slade put a hand to his masked forehead. The man’s voice became even lower, hoarse with emotion.

“But since you have given me one, since you have begun to use one, I’ve grown rather attached to it,” whispered Slade, the emotions of his heart fully prevalent throughout his tone. His voice rose as he continued, “So, you’ll have to forgive me for not indulging you in this childish behavior. I will accept nothing less than the position of being your father.”

Dick’s heart broke into countless pieces, the shattered shards collapsing within the chasm of his soul. He bit his lower lip, _hard_. He hated the fact that Slade had betrayed his trust. He hated the fact that Slade could wallop him as if nothing had happened. But what he really hated was the fact that the man acted as if he truly loved Dick still – even after the betrayal, even after everything that had happened.

And why— _why_ did Dick’s heart melt because of it?!

_Perhaps, it wasn’t all a lie…_

“I’ve never broke my word with you,” whispered Slade, his words only for Dick’s ears. “I said that I would never…” There was a soft exhale of breath. “…never beat you again; I haven’t. I said that I wouldn’t be Deathstroke any more; I haven’t – no, even now I’m not. I said I would never lie to you – and I haven’t.”

Dick’s face lifted to protest, but Slade’s voice overrode him.

“I _haven’t_ —I haven’t lied to you,” said Slade, his tone filled with an almost desperation. “I have withheld certain information because I had to – you’ve known that I would – but I haven’t lied to you. _I swear it_.”

There was such pain, such agony, such love in that grey blue eye – that eye which Dick had depended his entire soul upon. This man was his anchor. This man was his comfort. He understood this man better than his first father – or so he thought. He had grown to love this man, had grown to care about him, had grown through everything that their impossible journey had played out before them. There was nothing more that Dick wanted at that moment than to be back home, and around that kitchen table, and eating dinner with the two men that had become his inseparable family.

That eye was telling him the truth. Dick knew that much, could read that much in the man’s movements. Slade hadn’t lied to him. He had done something horrible, had helped a terrible demon destroy the world, but he hadn’t lied. There was some reason why; Slade would have a reason.

In some ways, Slade had done better than he had in that regard.

_Maybe… It wasn’t a lie. Maybe Cyborg was wrong. What we had… It wasn’t a lie._

Dick looked down at the ground, his chest lifting in his deep breaths. He had questions. He was angry— _furious_ even, but somehow it was beginning to fade. The relief was replacing it far too quickly for his liking. Why couldn’t he hold onto his anger longer? It wasn’t fair. Slade deserved his anger, after all he had done – _including walloping him in front of his friends_. _The jerk_. He refused to contemplate on the fact that _maybe_ shouting such profanity at the man wasn’t exactly proper behavior and that _maybe_ – _just maybe!_ – he deserved a little – _just a little!_ –  of what the man had handed him.

As that thought rose inside his mind, his cheeks and all the way to his ears flushed a bright heated crimson. He couldn’t turn around to see his friends’ expressions as they had, no doubt, witnessed this whole fiasco. Oh, lovely. Oh, joy. His friends had seen Slade wallop him. _They had seen._ Ugh, he was never going to live this down. It was the most humiliating thing ever. If the end of the world didn’t kill him first, this would.

But Dick’s thoughts disappeared as his cheeks became encased with the man’s gloved hands, forcing his head to look upward. The man’s hands were so tender on his cheeks, Dick couldn’t stop the tears that began to flood his eyes again. His lips trembled as he looked up into Slade’s only visible feature. Gloved thumbs laced beneath his eyes, wiping the tears away.

“Listen to me, Dick,” whispered Slade, gently squeezing the flesh beneath his fingers. The man’s hands, though, weren’t warm. “There’s a chance Raven is still alive. You might still be able to save her, but every moment we waste here, her chance for survival weakens.”

_Raven… is alive?_

It was so hard to go back to his earlier feelings. The man was making it _so difficult_. Maybe it really was true. Could someone truly fake such softness? The world was gone now; was there any reason to play the game any more if that was all it had been?

That meant he was still loved. That meant his own love was not in vain. That meant what they’d had was truth. And while Dick wasn’t sure about the man’s recent choice of siding with Trigon, in the very least the past was not some horrific manipulation, as Cyborg had made it seem to be.

Those hands squeezed ever so tenderly once more.

“Dick, are you listening to me?”

Crystal blue eyes glanced upward, staring deep inside grey blue. The mask was a hindrance for Dick’s understanding. He lifted a hand to the man’s face, intent on removing it, when the man grabbed him by the wrist. There was a subtle shake of the head.

“You attacked my team,” whispered Dick. “You acted like the enemy. You took Raven and now she’s gone. It’s your fault. You helped Trigon. Now, you’re saying you want to save Raven? You need to explain yourself. You owe me that, don’t you think?”

“We don’t have time,” said Slade, whispering as well. “The longer we wait, the more powerful Trigon grows. If you want to save her, we have to go, _now_. And quickly.”

Dick’s fingers curled. The man didn’t release his wrist. Dick’s hand hovered in the air, an inch away from brushing against the duel colored metal. Why couldn’t the mask come off? Why wouldn’t the man let him take it off?

“You need to tell me – no, all of us – why you did this.”

“I had a number of reasons, none of which we have time to go into—”

“Name one—Name _one_ and I’ll go.”

There was a low, exasperated sigh.

“Fine. One, because a bullet could not penetrate Trigon’s skull,” said Slade, his tone dark. His eye moved slightly, as if he had lifted an eyebrow behind the mask. “Trust me, I attempted to do so. It was ineffective.” There was an inhale of breath. The man’s voice turned dangerously silky. “But now it is _very_ possible and I intend to return the favor against my family. My aim will be _absolute_. But first, I believe you have a friend to save.”

Dick waited, watching that grey blue eye. His fingers uncurled. They brushed against the cool metal. He reached a little harder; the man stiffened, his hold on Dick’s wrist stopping those fingers from grabbing the mask.

“Stop it,” said Slade.

“I want to see your face. I need to see if you’re telling me the truth.”

“I just said I wanted to shoot Trigon. You doubt my sincerity in that?”

“Take off the mask.”

“Stop it—”

“ _Take it off!_ ” demanded Dick, his voice instantly rising.

The man’s eye widened in anger. His grip tightened on Dick’s wrist. “Do _not_ push me on this. You are already on thin ice as it is.”

“ _I’m_ on thin ice?” repeated Dick incredulously, jerking his hand out of Slade’s grasp. He jabbed the man in the chest. “Excuse me, _you’re_ the one who sided with Trigon; _you’re_ the one who betrayed us; _you’re_ the one who took Raven away to become some portal for destruction. I think you fell through that ‘thin ice’ and _drowned_. Maybe things could’ve been a little better if you had _freaking talked to me_ in the first place!”

“And what would you have done, then, _hm?_ ” said Slade, growling slightly. “Would you have agreed with allowing Raven to become the portal? Would you have agreed with letting the world become ruined? Would you have listened and obeyed my judgment? Don’t even pretend that you would’ve obeyed me. You and I both know you would’ve gone off on your own thinking to assert your childish wisdom.”

“Oh, _yeah_ ,” drawled Dick. “Because your—” He used air quotes. “—‘adult wisdom’ is going brilliantly so far!”

“You being angry with me does not give you a free pass with the disrespect,” snapped Slade. “You’re getting a bit too big for your britches here.”

“Should’ve thought of that _before_ you sided with Trigon!”

“ _Enough_ of this foolishness!”

Starfire’s clear voice silenced all argument; all attention turned to her.

“I have heard far too much fighting,” said Starfire, putting her hands onto her hips. Her eyes nearly glowed with green, and her voice rang strong and powerful. “I will no longer allow it. We cannot be divided, not now, not ever. We are family. We are friends. I am tired of the fighting. I am tired of the mean talking. Stop hurting each other. No more. It does us no good. And, Dick—” Her monochromatic eyes focused on him. He straightened nervously, as if he were about to be rebuked. “You must remember what I told you, yes?”

Dick nodded.

“Good. Do not forget it again, please.”

Dick nodded obediently, before ducking his head, the vague thought that Starfire would be a powerfully frightening mother one day crossing his mind. A second thought mentioned something that she’d have to if they were to have a lot of kids. And there was no holding back the blush that graced Dick’s face. The silence following became awkward. After a few moments, Dick secretly glanced his eyes around. Cyborg looked positively murderous towards Slade.

For once, Dick didn’t blame him.

Then, without warning, Cyborg powered up his cannon. A second later, a blast shattered a wall, which happened to be behind Slade. With a rage of fury, Cyborg threw himself at Slade what appeared with every segment of energy and power he possessed.

“Cyborg, _no!_ ” cried Starfire.

“ _Dude!_ ”

But the eldest Teen Titan didn’t listen to her. He fought fiercely against Slade, who, like before with Dick, didn’t lay a hand on Cyborg. The man dodged the blows, never once retaliating – however, as the punches became more intense, Slade seemed to slow down.

Starfire tried to interfere, but she couldn’t get into the fight without harming either party. Beast Boy shouted at the older teen, trying to make him see sense in the situation. But Dick could only watch in silence. He wasn’t sure what to do any more. Was he going to stop Cyborg? Was he going to listen to Slade? Was he going to trust this man once more?

Then, a blast caught Slade in the chest; he slammed against a wall, which crumbled and collapsed over his body. Dick’s breath caught in his chest. Slade became covered in the rubble. A moment later, the rubble moved with a muffled groan. Slade pushed himself out of the debris, before he was faced with the barrel of Cyborg’s cannon.

“Why is it you?” whispered Cyborg. “Why, out of so many better men in the world, why did it have to be you?”

There was a muffled, yet audible exhale of breath from Slade. “I don’t know,” he whispered hoarsely. There was a pause. The cannon powered up; Slade didn’t move.

_‘You cannot give up on him.’_

_‘He said he was sorry.’_

_‘He’s the worst thing to ever happen to you.’_

_‘Don’t forget: he loves you.’_

Voices folded through Dick’s head, each battling the other to rise to the top of his heart. Then, a clear voice echoed inside, reminding him of the words Slade had spoken before.

_‘You know that through my actions, I destroyed my first family… Then, you should know, I will make any decision, any choice, to protect the one I have now – no matter what.’_

Dick’s legs were moving of their own accord. His mother’s voice rose above all the others, her gentle words ringing stronger than ever before.

_‘I was assigned to a man… your Mama saw the great potential of his heart… He wanted companionship; oh, but not the companionship of a woman. No, he wanted a son – a son that he could cherish, raise, and love.’_

As Dick skidded to a stop in between the cannon and Slade, more words flooded through his mind, spoken with the voice he could never forget – yet, they weren’t of an old, faded memory. The presence flowed over him, the familiar lilting, trilling voice gentle and warm beyond measure. They rose with chiding clarity.

_“Now you listen here, your Mama did not make a mistake. If you cannot trust him any more, then trust my decision for you. He was my choice for my little robin.”_

With barely a moment to spare, the cannon stopped powering up and lowered. That voice, one which Dick never stopped longing to hear, faded away. Though he had felt drained of all willpower, somehow Dick stood between Cyborg and Slade with his arms outstretched.

Even without her words, Dick found himself thinking, _I’ll try, Mama._

He took a deep breath as he met Cyborg’s gaze. The older teen stared with deep bitterness in his eyes. Dick’s fingers curled into his palms. He slowly pulled his hands to his chest, before lowering them to his sides. His hands clenched tightly.

“You still defend him,” whispered Cyborg. “Even after everything he’s done, you still choose him over your friends.”

“I haven’t chosen anyone over the other,” said Dick.

Cyborg’s nose wrinkled in anger. The cannon powered up once again, pointing at him. Something caught inside Dick’s chest. Cries of shocked protest from the remaining Titans fell on deaf ears. Dick did not flinch.

“Are you really going to trust _him_ again?” asked Cyborg, his tone flinty. “Are you going to make the same mistake again?”

“He’s not a mistake,” said Dick sternly, but his gaze was soft. “I want to save Raven. If he says she’s still alive, then I have to save her. I have to bring her back. And I trust that… he had a reason for what he did. I will find out why. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Dick was aware the man could hear him. He wanted Slade to hear. He wanted the man to know that there was no way he was going to get away with the standard, “Because I said so.” answer here.

There was a long moment where Dick met Cyborg’s gaze; all the while, he ignored the weapon pointed at his face. Then, finally, Cyborg’s expression crumpled. His arm dropped to his side, the cannon instantly powering back down once again.

“Why him?” asked Cyborg; his voice was soft and now void of hostility.

“Because.”

He didn’t elaborate, though the words, _Because, Mama approves of him,_ lifted through his mind. A smile touched his lips; he schooled his features afterward. Dick turned around and held out a hand to Slade. The man accepted it and was pulled to his feet a moment later.

“I’ll go with you, for Raven’s sake.”

_And you’ll answer every last one of my questions, whether you like it or not._

“Oi!” shouted a voice. “Now, as much as I wanna grab a bag of popcorn to enjoy the drama show going on here, don’t ya’ll think it’s bad timing to be having heated ‘discussions’ right now when there’s a giant red demon thingy planting his oversized butt on Titans Tower?”

Dick glanced towards the voice to see two familiar faces. Rose had her hands on her hips, while Joey was grinning from ear to ear. His hair, which had once been blond, was now a matching pure white – down to his eyebrows and eyelashes.

Relief poured through Dick. They were alive. _They were alive_. They hadn’t been hurt, nor had they died. They weren’t stone, like Wintergreen. _Oh, they were still alive!_

Dick bolted to them before he could stop himself. However, he came to an abrupt stop. He shifted his weight on his feet, as he stood in front of them. He knew what he wanted, but he suddenly felt unsure. A gentle smile spread across Joey’s face. Rose rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her lips as well. Together, they pulled Dick into a group hug.

A sigh rippled through Dick’s body. They felt alive. They felt warm.

“I’m so glad you’re both okay,” whispered Dick, tightening his hold on them.

Rose nuzzled his cheek. “I dunno about Joey, but I can’t die yet, little brother. I have way too many plans to test out on you.”

Dick laughed softly. “Why does that sound ominous?”

_“Knowing her, it is.”_

They pulled apart. Joey ruffled Dick’s hair, while Rose linked arms with him.

As they walked up to the group, Joey waved. Then, he opened his mouth and with an unmistakable voice, said, “I died.” Joey’s voice was clear, unlike as he had spoken before. Dick’s eyes widened, his mouth slowly dropping.

Slade inhaled softly. After a moment, he drawled, “Oh, yes, that’s what every father wants to hear from his son.”

Joey grinned brightly. _“What, is this better, then?”_

There was an annoyed groan. “Joey, please stop that now.”

“Immortality definitely has some perks here,” said Joey. He smiled mischievously. “I look forward to many future pranks with some of my college mates.”

Slade responded, but it wasn’t heard by Dick. His mind was processing what Joey had just said.

Then, Dick laughed. He couldn’t help it. His shoulders shook as the laughter grew even more. He slapped a hand over his eyes, just as his head lifted upward.

“Ah! _Oi!_ I think Dickiebird has finally cracked!”

Everything had been so horrible and yet, Joey seemed to find the silver lining to it. He expected to get out of this. He expected to come out of this unscathed to prank his college mates. How absurd was that? Dick barely had it together, barely had anything holding his soul together, and here Joey could easily say that.

Dick had to be stronger.

“I’m okay,” said Dick, breathing heavily. Another chuckle broke through; he stifled it. “I’m okay.”

“As much as this reunion sets me at ease, we still have the larger problem on our hands,” said Slade. He brushed off some of the debris on his shoulder. “Raven is still alive. Trigon has descended – or ascended, however your view – to become mortal. Right now, Trigon is gathering strength. Now would be the time to strike. But rescuing Raven is also a priority. The longer we leave her, the more likely she’ll disappear. Even with defeating Trigon, we could still lose her.”

“Oh, and Trigon told you all this?” demanded Cyborg. “Exchanged stories, did you?”

Slade didn’t rise to the bait. “No, I gleaned this information while under his contract. I learned some interesting things, including where her location may be.”

He let out a low sigh.

“However, someone needs to distract him while we rescue Raven. Even while gathering his energy and forces, his powers are still far reaching. If he knew what we were doing, he may kill her. As much as we need to regroup, Dick and I need to go after her now. We cannot waste any more time.”

Then, Slade took a ring off his finger. He motioned to Starfire, who obediently stepped forward. Cyborg glared at her; she ignored him. Slade placed the ring in her hand.

“This should protect you while you fight, but don’t lose it. It… was a gift from a friend.”

Starfire nodded, just as Dick whipped his head towards Slade. The man didn’t meet his gaze.

“Trigon may be all powerful, but he isn’t invincible,” continued Slade. He still wouldn’t meet Dick’s stare. “Find his weak points and drive him insane. I don’t expect you to win, but you need to endure. We’ll come back as soon as we can – and when we do, I’ll finish him off.”

“Dad, you can’t defeat Trigon by yourself,” said Joey, incredulous. “Have you seen his size? He’s _huge_.”

“He’s _mine_ ,” hissed Slade. “I want his head rotting on a mountaintop when I’m through with him.”

“No.”

Slade’s head lifted slightly, before meeting Dick’s defiant gaze.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” said Dick, folding his arms. “This is a team based attack. You don’t get to finish this alone.”

“You don’t have a say in the matter,” said Slade, his grey blue eye flashing with anger. “You—”

“Oh, yes, I do. I am the leader of the Teen Titans. Trigon is our enemy. This isn’t your fight alone. This is _our_ fight. Accept it or else I’m not going anywhere with you.”

There was an exasperated growl as Slade put a hand to his forehead, his fingers brushing against the metal of his mask.

“Fine. We can’t waste any more time. We need to go.”

Dick nodded and looked back at his friends. Cyborg had a hard, harsh expression on his face, while Beast Boy and Starfire looked extremely concerned. Tears flooded in her eyes. She flew to him and threw her arms around his neck; Dick’s arms instantly responded, wrapping themselves around her waist. He could feel her face buried into his neck. He did the same, his face being engulfed by her scented hair.

“Starfire?” whispered Dick ever so softly; he wanted only her to hear his voice.

“Yes, Dick?”

“I have something to tell you. Only you,” said Dick in that same, soft whisper. He felt her cheek slide against his neck. At any other time, Dick would’ve blushed up a storm at her touch, but now his mind was clear with only one thing. Thus, he was filled with the desire to express to her, just in case.

 _Just in case_ , he never came back.

 _Just in case_ , he never saw her again.

 _Just in case_ , they couldn’t overcome this horrible, _horrible_ trial.

“Star… Kori, I want you to know one thing,” continued Dick, his arms tightening around her waist. Even with the intense closeness, he drew her as close as possible. He felt her still in his arms, slightly waiting for his words. With a fiery peace washing over him, he whispered in Starfire’s ear, his lips brushing against her skin, the long desire of his heart, “ _I love you_.”

There was a sharp intake of breath near his ear.

“Not just a best friend. More than that. More than anything. I… I can’t leave without saying it.”

There was great reluctance in his movements when Dick pulled away. To his relief, he felt the same thing from Starfire. Everything was forgotten as Dick looked inside her glimmering eyes. They were overflowing with large tears, which slid down her tanned cheeks. He gave her a smile.

But then, Starfire pulled him back into another hug. Dick flushed when he felt her lips brush against his ear. There was a soft, warm exhale of breath that sent a chill into Dick’s heart. A gentle whisper laced into his ear, five words filled with special meaning entering there. Then, before Dick could comprehend its meaning, something soft pressed against his cheek.

It was over in a moment, but it was branded inside Dick’s memory. Starfire had withdrawn, leaving Dick stunned to the spot.

_‘I love you as well.’_

“Come back alive, please,” said Starfire, squeezing his hands. Dick nodded, still rooted to the spot.

“Yes,” whispered Dick, blinking in a daze for a moment. Then, he took a deep breath and nodded again. “We’ll come back for sure and we’ll bring Raven back with us – _no matter what_.”

“And while you do that, we’ll give Trigon a run for his money,” said Rose, slamming her fist into her hand. Her grin turned feral. “I wonder how long the beast will last.”

“Yeah! We’ll make Trigon regret ever messing with the Teen Titans,” said Beast Boy. He grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“This is the biggest adventure I’ve ever had in my life,” said Joey with a bright smile. “This is going to be fun.”

Rose rolled her eyes. A smile touched Dick’s mouth. He knew what Rose and Joey were doing, and he appreciated their effort. Dick glanced at his friends. The weight of their situation sank onto his shoulders. Starfire looked determined, but there were tears in her eyes. Beast Boy put on a brave front, but the cloud in his eyes spoke of uncertainty. And Cyborg… Well, he wouldn’t look at him. Dick stepped forward and placed a hand onto the older teen’s arm.

“Cyborg, I don’t know why you hate me—”

“I don’t hate you.”

“Well…” began Dick. He bit his lips, wondering if Cyborg was telling the truth. “Whatever reason you’re mad at me, I want us to be friends.”

Cyborg looked at him. “We are friends.”

“Are we?” asked Dick.

Pain entered the older teen’s human eye.

“I have never stopped being your friend, Cy,” whispered Dick. “Whether I was Robin or Dick, _I am your friend_. Please don’t forget that.”

Cyborg stood still for a moment, before he finally nodded. Dick smiled, which seemed to generate a similar response from Cyborg.

“Dick, we need to go.”

Dick turned his head to the side and gave an acknowledging nod. He glanced at Beast Boy and tapped the younger boy on the chin, giving him a reassuring smile. Then, with one final, longing gaze at Starfire – which was returned in full – he turned away from the group and walked towards Slade. When Dick came to his side, the man rested a hand onto his middle back.

The touch was of old welcomed warmth.

“Wear the ring, Starfire,” said Slade. “Stick together and protect one another.”

Starfire nodded, slipping the ring onto her finger. “We will,” she said with strength. “We will keep Trigon occupied.” Her monochromatic eyes burned with determination.

And with that, Dick and Slade began their descent into the depths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on May 8th:** Chapter Twenty-Seven: Into the Depths – As father and son descend into the pits of darkness, Dick demands a full explanation for Slade's actions, in the which, he learns how much this man has changed.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Good grief, wonderful parenting right there, Slade. Mmhmm. *complete, total sarcasm here* Of course, that one part where Slade says he’ll accept nothing less position of being Dick’s father has always been one of my favorites. It’s one of those few paragraphs that I knew about from the beginning. It’s one of my favorite parts to read out loud, in fact. ^^ 
> 
> And at first, I struggled with what I’d have Dick say, since I knew he was so angry that he’d definitely let his restraint go. But the terms that came to mind didn’t quite fit, nor did I wish to write any direct swear words into my story. Just not something I like to do since I don’t condone nor appreciate swearing in real life. Of course, interesting how when you give up something that seems ‘decent enough’ for a higher moral reason, something better always rises in its place. What could’ve been a single like of 3 to 6 words became 2 lines of 40 words of what I think are truly amazing. :3 I get a good laugh every time I read it.


	27. Into the Depths

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Into the Depths**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 7:05 am.**

The silence was deafening.

And Dick wanted nothing more than to make it stop; yet he couldn’t bring himself to break that silence. The chasm between them felt further than the distance the Grand Canyon traversed. He could touch the man’s broad back, he was that close as they walked down a dilapidated stairway. It would take very little effort to reach out, for his fingers to brush against the man’s armor and to feel the bumpy scales beneath his skin.

He was so close.

So, why did it feel like they were so far apart?

Just how could he break this terrible silence? Dick wanted to demand the answers to his endless questions. He wanted everything to go back to as it was. He wanted those answers to settle the unhappiness in his heart and he found that he wanted to believe Slade had had a true reason for his actions.

But with every step downward, with the air turning warmer with each descent, Dick’s voice was silenced inside his throat. He couldn’t even call out to the man, unable to give him the name of endearment he’d been using for months now. John Grayson had _always_ been Papa. Even when the young boy had been angry at his father – as every young child is at one point in life – the name ‘Papa’ was never replaced with anything else. It wasn’t a thought that had crossed Dick’s child mind.

Now, it felt off to call Slade ‘Dad’ at that moment. He just couldn’t let it slip from his lips. It was strange, foreign even. No matter how much he wanted it all to go back as it was, he couldn’t do it.

And he loathed himself for it.

The annoying part about it was he couldn’t call the man ‘Slade’ either. Just how could he get the man’s attention now? What was he supposed to do? He felt ill saying the man’s given name, after what Slade had told him. Good grief, everything was so wrong and confusing. For now, ‘sir’ might be the only option, he supposed.

Dick let out a low sigh. He had to focus on Raven, not this nonsense between Slade and himself. Bringing back Raven _alive_ was more important than the tentative relationship Slade and Dick were facing right now.

_And yet…_

Dick was miserable.

And it couldn’t continue forever.

The air was hot. It was stifling to breathe deeply now. Every few deep breaths, Dick coughed softly, which only seemed to close his lungs further in protest against the unsavory air. However, the air was crisp in its quality; no humidity whatsoever.

It never really occurred to Dick to question where they were going. He simply followed the man’s broad back, his mind too burdened with his thoughts.

Then, the stairs ended. At the bottom stood a enormous doorway, bearing the blazon symbol of Trigon. Without a word to each other, Slade and Dick pushed the doorway, opening to another thin stairway. It descended down to a pathway, which was parallel with a river of lava. Stone carvings with great mouths bore open to large waterfalls of lava that slowly spilled into the river below. Their heights were taller than two, even three story buildings.

With the newly opened doorway, the air became almost unbearable. Dick had to take deep breaths to get air into his lungs. The heat stung his unprotected eyes and for the first time in his life, he wished he had a mask like the one Slade wore. He’d long lost the domino mask and even his gloves during the recent events.

But he suffered through it quietly.

The lava bubbled softly. Occasionally, there would be a small _plop_ and a sizzling sound. The pathway was dangerously narrow. One wrong step could crumble the unstable rocks, sending one straight into the lava. Dick kept a hand onto the stone wall at his left and his eyes on the ground for his footing. His eyes wandered sometimes to gaze at the slow moving river of lava. It was different than the movement of a stream of water, slower due to its thickness.

Then, to Dick’s embarrassment, the man stopped abruptly and Dick bumped into that broad back. He took a step back, silently keeping his head down. _What to say, what to say; what the heck do I say?_

“The landscape has changed slightly,” said Slade.

Dick looked up. The pathway had ended. Ahead, there was nothing but a sea of lava. There was no way to cross it without the help of someone like Starfire, Raven, or Beast Boy. _Except…_

“Awfully convenient, wouldn’t you say?” said Slade, almost sardonically.

Dick looked up at the man’s masked face to see the direction of his gaze. In the lava, untainted by the extreme heat, was a metal boat.

_Hold up…_

“Shouldn’t it have sunk by now?” asked Dick. He cringed at himself. His voice was painfully timid and soft. That had to be fixed immediately. He wasn’t going to let the man think he was subdued by earlier actions or words. Dick was stronger than that. He cleared his throat. His lungs had continual trouble, however.

“It would seem that it was left for us,” said Slade, his tone turning darker. “It’s almost too perfect, too conveniently placed. Perhaps this is futile from the beginning. Trigon might be mocking us.”

Dick glanced at the boat again. It hadn’t sunk into the lava yet. It appeared perfectly content to float there, as if it weren’t surrounded by a sea of hot molten lava, but floating gently in a river of harmless water. Well, there was nothing to be gained standing there and staring at it. If this was their ride to Raven, so be it. Who cared if it was ‘conveniently’ placed there by Trigon?

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” said Dick. He stepped forward, about to untie the rope that kept the boat from floating away, when a hand on his shoulder held him back. He turned slightly to look back at the man. The shadows hid what little physical feature could normally be seen.

“Wait a minute. We need to think this through,” said Slade.

“And while you think, I’ll be getting in the boat,” said Dick, shrugging the man’s hand from his shoulder. He tried not to glare at the man, but he wasn’t sure how effective his restraint was – not that he cared. Should he also mention his tone wasn’t exactly respectful?

 _Nah_.

“Dick—”

“You know what?” said Dick, overriding Slade as he whirled around. He took a cautionary step back as he did so. “Just don’t, okay? I don’t want to hear it.”

“Excuse me?” whispered Slade, his voice entering that all too familiar danger zone. Dick wasn’t letting it frighten him; the hairs on the back of his neck rose anyway.

“I don’t want to hear anything from you,” said Dick, crossing his arms. _No more small talk. No more lies. No more secrets. Can’t you see how tired I am of it all? Do something, tell me something, anything!_ “I might be coming with you, but you can’t boss me around. All right? So, I’m getting in the boat and you can come with me – or not, I don’t really care.”

Dick turned away, but was once again stopped, this time by a firm hand on his upper arm. He was jerked back away from the boat and for a brief moment, Dick thought he had pushed the man too far. Then, a whisper entered his ear.

“I have little time for your rebelliousness, Dick,” whispered Slade. “If this was a river with normal water, then we’d be in it and on our way without another word. But this is _lava_. We need to think this through. Now stop behaving like a bratty child.”

Dick tried to pull away, but the man’s grip on his arm tightened. He whirled around, finally jerking his arm away. He glared at Slade.

“Don’t tell me what to do. I’m acting just fine.”

“Oh, really? Your poor attitude is slowly us down.”

“I was getting in the boat!” shouted Dick, pointing at said object with incredulity. “You’re the one who stopped me.”

“Are you even hearing yourself?” said Slade, sounding exasperated. “Are you looking for a fight over something so trivial? _Now?_ Of all times?!”

“I want _answers!_ ” demanded Dick. His fists clenched at his sides. “I want to know _why_. I can’t bear another minute like this!”

Slade sighed. He put a hand to the forehead of his mask. Silence passed for a few moments.

“Why did you take Raven?” asked Dick, his voice soft. Then, it rose quickly. “Why couldn’t you help stop this? We wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place!”

“And just how would you know that?” whispered Slade. “How do you know? My involvement was minimum. This would’ve happened with or without my interference.”

“ _Bull crap!_ ” shouted Dick. The man’s hand dropped.

“You’ve already been disciplined for inappropriate language,” snapped Slade. “I would avoid making the same mistake twice in a row or this is going to be a long day for the both of us. And while I’m at it, drop this attitude you have with me. I am still your father and you will show me respect.”

“Hey, you’ve got to earn that, you know?”

“I’ve _never_ had to earn respect,” snapped Slade, an irritated lilt in his tone. “I have always expected it from you, whether you liked it or not. Now fix your attitude immediately.”

“ _No!_ Now give me answers!”

There was an audible growl. Slade grabbed him by the upper arm again, this time pulling Dick to the side. Dick knew what the man was going for and he wasn’t about to let him reach his objective. He jerked his arm, trying to rip it out of Slade’s iron grip. Dick wrestled backwards, unable to get the man to let him go.

“Don’t even try!” shouted Dick, struggling fiercely. “You can’t force submission out of me now! I want _answers_ from you!”

Slade grabbed him by the shoulders, his hands digging into his flesh, before shaking him once.

“ _Stop this!_ ” shouted Slade. Dick stilled, dropping his head and staring at the ground. There was an exasperated huff of air. “Good grief, what has gotten into you? You’re acting like a child—”

“I _am_ a child!” shouted Dick, whipping his head up to glare at the man. “Or so you’ve told me a _thousand_ times. What, now I can’t act like one? Since it’s not convenient for you? You can’t have it both ways! You always tell me I’m a child – well, guess what?” Dick’s voice rose to its peak, almost to a deafening sound. Yet, as he cried out every word, his eyes burned. “You’re right! I’m a child whose father did something horribly unforgiveable, yet I want to understand why; I want him to tell me _everything_ ; I want it to go away; I want it to stop; I just want everything to go back like it was.”

Tears were slipping his cheeks. The large hands on his shoulders squeezed gently. Dick ducked his head; he lifted a hand to his face, roughly wiping his stinging tears away.

“Excuse me for acting like a child who wants his father back,” whispered Dick.

Slade let out a tired sigh. A hand lifted from Dick’s shoulder to rest against the back of his head. Gloved fingers carded through his hair. Then, the hand pulled Dick forward, until he was pressed against a firm chest.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Slade. His hand continued to card through black locks of hair. Dick closed his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Dick. I knew this would be hard on you.”

 _Plop_.

 _Plop_.

 _Plop_.

It was easy to forget everything in this position. It was easy to forget the bubbling lava at their side; it was easy to forget the oppressive hot air; it was easy to forget why they were down here in the first place – these times where Slade reached out and held him close made everything disappear.

But the problems still bubbled beneath the surface, ready to explode forth with devastating destruction.

“I… struck a deal with Trigon; a contract, you could say.”

_How obvious could it have been?_

“No, really? I couldn’t tell,” deadpanned Dick, knowing full well that was uncalled for; there was a light rap to the back of his head.

“Enough with the lip, already! You asked, now be silent and let me explain.”

Dick nodded against the man’s chest. Fingers gently continued to card through the back of his hair. It was a soothing motion and Dick couldn’t stop himself from shutting his eyes. He felt the man draw in a deep breath, before exhaling slowly, the sensations reverberating through Dick’s forehead.

“The contract was a two way deal. I do something for Trigon, he was to do something in return.”

Dick stiffened; his blood chilled. His breath caught inside his throat. Starfire’s voice lifted inside his mind, one phrase drawing all his hope away with it.

_‘Trigon is the master of death.’_

It was then that Dick put all the pieces of the puzzle together; the image was heartbreaking.

Hands lifted on their own accord and pushed away from the firm, comforting chest. Warmth slipped away from Dick’s hair as that large hand pulled back. Dick slowly glanced up at that horrible mask, the black side shadowing what would’ve been the man’s black eye patch and the orange side lighting to a steel grey blue eye. The lighting of their location still didn’t give enough brightness to reveal the man’s emotions.

Dick hated it.

He took a step backwards. His arms curled around his chest. The master of _death_. Well, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. So, was Cyborg right, after all? Maybe so. Dick wasn’t sure if he could handle the rollercoaster of emotions he’d been going through during recent events. Now, it felt as if he’d gone down a sudden drop, with his heart in his stomach and his stomach in his throat.

Blood was better, after all, _wasn’t it?_

“Dick, whatever you’re thinking, please let me explain,” said Slade, his tone almost pleading. Dick shook his head and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Slade took a step towards him, but Dick withdrew from the man.

“I’m not thinking anything.”

“The lack of color in your face says otherwise.”

Dick turned away, his eyes gazing over the sea of lava. His vision blurred.

“Dick—”

“I’m fine; I get it. You don’t have to say anything more.”

“No, you don’t.”

Dick roughly wiped his hand over his eyes, the moisture soaking into his skin. He wished it would stop. He felt a hand on his shoulder; Dick leaned forward to pull away. The hand slipped off. He heard a long draw of breath, as if the man wanted to say something. The silence lasted far too long. Finally, Slade let out a low sigh.

“We need to keep moving. Let’s get into the boat. We’ll talk there.”

Dick only nodded, knowing his voice wasn’t strong enough. He avoided looking at the man at all costs. He got into the boat and sat at the back, leaning his elbow onto the metal edge and resting his chin in his hand. He kept his gaze towards the side as Slade entered the boat. The man gave out another sigh, one of longsuffering.

As the dangerous lull of the bubbling lava entered Dick’s ears, he briefly wondered what it would’ve been like if none of this had ever happened. If Dick hadn’t experienced certain events, what would his life be like then? Would he have been spared from the pain he was currently feeling through every section of his heart?

If there were no emotional ties to this man, would he still have felt the crushing weight of betrayal like this?

He got it. Even more, he _understood_ it. It made sense, and for a brief moment, Dick had to wonder if he had been presented with such an opportunity, would he jump at the chance to bring back the two people he missed most? He knew his mother and father were fine, but they weren’t with him. To be reunited with them, even for a minute, was the one thing Dick had craved for years. Yet, he’d had to keep stepping forward without their presence.

Dick understood. He didn’t fault the man for it. Not at all.

But it still hurt.

“Dick, you wanted me to explain,” said Slade quietly. “Are you going to listen or not?”

Dick shrugged. There was an exasperated sigh. The man was doing that a lot.

“Will you look at me, please?”

Dick shook his head and continued to stare at a nearby waterfall of lava. It slowly passed from his sight. His eyes locked onto the next one.

“Dick—” There was a sharp exhale. “There were numerous reasons why I contracted with Trigon—”

“Oh, what, was one of them destroying the world?” asked Dick, interrupting the man, a dry lilt in his tired voice. He glanced over at Slade. He knew the answer now, yet his mouth spilled forward. “Just what was so important that you had to destroy the whole world? What was so important that billions of other lives paled in comparison?”

_That one life was more important than all the lives on the planet. I get it. I understand. I wish I didn’t. You made your choice; just don’t try to convince me otherwise._

_That one life is more important than even me._

“Not everything is black and white, Dick,” whispered Slade hoarsely.

Dick frowned. He stared at the mask, resisting the unrelenting urge to rip it off.

“Excuse me?” whispered Dick. He let out a low, even harsh laugh. “What, this is the man who always said it’s black and white, _kill or be killed._ You’re telling me this now?” His tone rose with every word, the heated indignation burning his throat. “What happened to that man who claimed there was no grey area? ‘Death was the only option for enemies’ and all that bull. Weren’t _you_ the one who always thought that way, who _lived_ that way, who nearly forced me to live that way?”

Slade sucked in his breath. He bowed his head, his hands crawling beside his neck. Dick watched at the man visibly breathed. Then, Slade lifted his head.

“That man adopted a rather precocious and remarkable son, who changed him in ways he hadn’t thought possible,” whispered Slade.

Heat pricked at Dick’s eyes. He glanced away.

“You need to understand something,” continued Slade, his voice still barely above a whisper. “For a long time, I experienced no change or growth in my life. It was as if time had frozen every aspect in my body, even down to my very soul. Any time I tried to push myself physically or even mentally, it was easy. It was _too_ easy. Before that, power had come through blood, sweat, and tears. It took work and that was satisfying. I came from years of change and growth as a man in the military. But because of my newfound powers and abilities, my growth became stagnant. I didn’t need to grow; there was no challenge. I was perfect.”

There was another sigh, more gentle in nature this time.

“Not really, though. I’m sure Will would tell you my personality needed work.”

Dick refrained from giving a well deserved, _‘Ya think?’_

“But then,” started Slade, with such a softness in his voice that Dick was drawn back to look into that mask for the sole reminder of life; _grey blue_. “You came into my life and everything changed. If it hadn’t been for you, I would still be that same man and I’m thankful I’m not. Looking back, I embrace the change I’d been searching for.”

The line which drew that separation of colors on Slade’s mask blurred in Dick’s vision.

“Everything I do now, I think of you. I think of how it will impact you. My thoughts are consumed with your welfare. How should I continue to raise you into manhood? Am I doing the right things? Am I making the right impressions? I am literally terrified about making a mistake with you, when I had never been afraid of anything due to my near invincibility. It’s such a strange feeling. Maybe I’m overly concerned. Perhaps you’ll do fine without my worries and interference. Am I too stern, or harsh, or strict, or involved; the list goes on and on, I can’t stop it.”

Slade leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

“I don’t mind it, though. It’s what a father is supposed to do. It’s what I was supposed to do nine years ago, but failed. I failed before, but I refuse to fail with you.”

“So…” whispered Dick. He swallowed once. He blinked quietly, clearing his vision; the tracks left behind stung. “This isn’t failing me?”

Slade put a hand to his masked forehead.

“Look, the only reason why I’m bringing you with me here is because there’s a small chance that Raven is still alive,” said Slade, sounding annoyed. “Otherwise, I’d take you, your friends, Joey and Rose, and any other survivors away to build a new life; to accept the situation.”

“You wouldn’t try to fight Trigon?” asked Dick. “You’d do _nothing_ to change this? What happened to wanting his head on a mountaintop?”

“Oh, that desire will never falter, trust me,” drawled Slade. “But your lives are the priority and… I overestimate myself.”

Dick sucked in his breath. “ _What?_ ” he breathed, unable to believe what the man had just said.

“There was no stopping this,” said Slade, shaking his head. “That is the only reason why I contracted with Trigon in the first place. If I had felt a way out of it, I would’ve.”

“But you helped him,” whispered Dick. “If you hadn’t helped him, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Blast it, Dick,” snapped Slade, exasperated. “I might be all powerful, but I’m not God.” Dick raised an eyebrow. There was a pause. Then, Slade pointed at him. “You get my point.”

“Then, why did you agree to that deal? Why contract with Trigon?”

Slade dropped his hand and looked down. “For a moment… Perhaps I thought I could be God. To bring back the dead, that’s a feat no one has been able to do. No one can really bring back the dead.”

_So… I was right._

“You really did want to bring back Grant,” whispered Dick.

How many times had Dick heard the words, _‘I love you.’_ from Slade? It was such a wonderful thing, to be a son again, to have a father again, who could love him like that. He knew it; he felt the man’s sincerity in it; but he couldn’t help but feel second place now. Slade would always want his firstborn. Perhaps there was something special about firstborns.

Or maybe… It was the blood that mattered.

Before an answer was given, an unnatural sound echoed through the cavern. It sizzled with a hissing lilt to its tone. They both glanced towards its source. Fire like creatures began pouring upward from the lava.

While it should’ve been annoying and troublesome, Dick found the sight a beautiful, welcoming distraction. Perfect timing to get out of this uncomfortable conversation. Slade’s reaction was different: he swore under his breath. At the incredulous look that Dick sent his way, the man pointed a finger at him.

“Don’t follow my example!”

It would’ve been an amusing moment, if Dick’s spirit hadn’t been closed. Instead, he withdrew his bō-staff from his utility belt and stood up. The boat rocked precariously. He turned around. The hissing, sizzling sounds intensified as the fire demons raced forward.

A hand touched Dick on the shoulder. “Dick—” The man stopped as Dick looked up into the mask.

“I don’t need you to babysit me, sir. I’ve been trained to handle worse situations than this. As I’m sure you know.”

The hand withdrew, as if it had been burned; the lifted weight was welcomed.

Dick looked forward and took a deep breath. With a click, his staff extended. A burst of anger tore through his chest and he use that force to swing a fiery head from off the shoulders of the nearest fire demon. Its body collapsed into the sea of lava beneath it. Dick rushed into battle. Countless fire demons tried to grab him, their fiery arms extending beyond human length. Dick used his staff to propel him forward, dropping it into the lava. He leapt forward, flying over the danger below.

One slipup and he’d be dead within a second of falling into that sea.

He landed on a small ledge of rock. The edge of the ledge broke into pieces from his weight, pebbles of different shapes landing into the lava with a _plopping_ sizzle. With two more thrusts of his staff, four more fire demons were destroyed.

“Dick, I know you’re mad at me.”

_Mad at you? No, I’m not mad at you._

“But I need you to listen to me.”

_Mad doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about this. But you wanna know the biggest thing I’m feeling now? Hurt. And how am I suppose to tell you that? How can I feel hurt that you just want your son back. It’s selfish of me to be mad at you._

_I guess I’m more selfish than I thought._

After another leapt to a different, precarious ledge, Dick tore through fire demons with a vengeance. With every terrible feeling that ate at his heart, he put them all into his fight, hoping they would all disappear like the fire demons when they fell into the lava.

As the last of fire demons met its demise, Dick paused on the ledge he was standing on. He took a deep breath and tried not to be annoyed when Slade landed nearby. The cavern filled with the same sizzling hisses. More fire demons began to form from the lava’s surface.

“Dick.”

No answer was given.

“Would you listen to me already?” demanded Slade, obviously frustrated. Dick didn’t look at the man. There was an exasperated huff. A hand grabbed Dick by the underarm and forced his body to turn. “Look…I know what you’ve been thinking, but Grant wasn’t the reason why I contracted with Trigon.”

“Let go of me.”

“You’re not listening—”

“Kinda hard when there’s fire demons to beat up, you know.”

Dick pulled away. More demons flooded the cavern. It felt unbelievably wonderful to smash his bō-staff through the fire demons’ faces, to watch them disperse beneath his force. It was therapeutic to fight against an enemy when there was so much unhappiness in his chest. He was tired of listening now. He got his answer and he couldn’t take it. It was better not knowing. He was sure Slade was going to deny it.

_‘Oh, no, I don’t want Grant to be alive. I couldn’t contract for that reason.’_

Right. As if.

Dick would be lying if he didn’t feel the same exact way about Mary and John Grayson. He wanted his parents back. He wanted them in his life and he wanted Slade in his life. But that was how _he_ felt, and no matter what the man said, Dick just couldn’t believe Slade truly felt the same, not after all this nonsense.

As Dick fought, Slade mirrored him with every fight. They worked together perfectly, there was no denying it. They matched each other far better than the old Dynamic Duo ever did. And yet, the distance inside Dick’s heart felt _exactly_ the same. That alone made every move painful.

Slade was never supposed to be like Bruce.

When the last of the fire demons fell, Dick landed on another ledge of rock. The boat was now far behind in the distance. Slade followed, but Dick turned his back on the man. There was a harsh exhale of breath.

“Dick, listen to me – _blast it!_ – you stubborn, overly emotional child!” A hand grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him back around. “I didn’t contract with Trigon for the sake of bringing back Grant. There are far more reasons why I did it.”

“Fine.”

It was as if Slade was desperate to get through to Dick. It was apparent within each movement and within each word. The man spoke quickly, as if getting the information out faster would be better. But it didn’t change the truth and it didn’t change how Dick felt. There was no need for this. No amount of explaining could bring make the truth any easier to understand, nor less painful to hear. Dick turned away as much as the man’s grip would allow it.

“All this time, Trigon has been targeting you. If he continued, he would’ve killed you. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Okay then.”

“Contracting with Trigon saved your life, Dick.”

“Thanks.”

“You still don’t get it,” snapped Slade sharply, turning Dick around once more. The man bent down slightly, until Dick’s vision was filled with that black and orange mask. What he’d give for a fire demon to blast it off for him. “I will do _everything_ I must to keep you safe. Even if it means sacrificing what little morals I have left. Nothing matters beyond your life. You don’t understand just how fragile you are. You aren’t like Rose or Joey. You can be taken from me at _any_ moment.”

The man was nearly pleading now. Something softened inside Dick’s chest.

“You almost _died_. If someone is attacking you, I’ll do everything to stop it.”

There was a painful pause. The sizzling hisses returned, signifying the birth of further fire demons.

“But there’s something more. In the end, I was blackmailed into contracting with Trigon. I had no good options. It was either contract with Trigon and get a few perks through the process… or be killed.”

Dick’s eyes widened.

“While I value my life, I can’t exactly die. Immortality is a curse. But… Trigon could end that curse.” Slade pulled back; one of his hands rubbed against the metal forehead of the mask. “For a moment, it was a tantalizing offer.”

“What?” whispered Dick, the disbelief evident in his voice. “What was?”

“The offer of death.”

Dick’s breath caught in his chest. He glanced down, every sense overwhelmed by that information. Slade actually _wanted_ to die? Was life that terrible that he truly wanted life to end?

“Dick, you’re doing it again. Stop it.”

“I’m not saying anything.”

“You’re thinking it.”

Dick whirled around and smashed an approaching fire demon with vigor. He let out a harsh cry as he threw his body into destroying every demon he could slice his staff through. Pushing his body to the limit eased his racing mind. He ignored the other body in the fight and focused solely on the task of dispatching the latest fire demons.

Within moments, the recent rise of demons faded. With a lull in the fight, there were no distractions now. Dick was torn with wanting to glare at the man and avoid looking at him for the rest of the day. Dick went with the former, putting all his hurt feeling into one look.

“You’re misunderstanding me. _Again_ ,” said Slade. He folded his arms. “No, I’m not suicidal. But when the offer of not living for all eternity was presented, I couldn’t help but be lured by it. If I didn’t have any connections with you, I might have considered it.”

“Why, because life sucks so bad you wanna end it?” snapped Dick. He exhaled softly. “I thought you were stronger than that.”

“I have to watch people I love die!” shouted Slade, suddenly unfolding his arms. “I had to watch Grant die. I thought Rose had died because of my actions. One day, I will have to watch Will die. One day, I will have to Adeline die. And above all, one day I’ll have to watch you die!”

Dick sucked in his breath, stricken by those words.

“I’ve killed many people, both in war and in contracts,” said Slade. His tone dropped like a stone. “But no matter how many times I snuff out other people’s lives, my own will endlessly go on without my say so. I have no control in this. I have no choice but to stay alive. I have no choice but attend the funerals of the ones I care about, knowing I’ll never be able to see them again.”

The lull in the fight between fire demons was over. Sizzling hissed through the air again as the army of demons regenerated themselves. But they were ignored; insignificant to the true problems at hand.

“I know I’m a horrible father,” whispered Slade. “Even when I try, I’m terrible. I don’t need anyone to remind me; I know it. What I don’t know is why you chose me. You deserve someone better, someone who can be everything you need, but you didn’t choose anyone else. You had a chance with that bat, but instead you chose me. _Me_ , the one person who has probably hurt you the most. I… I don’t understand.”

Slade’s tone dropped even more.

“I only know you. I _know_ you. You cried, mourned my death when you thought I had died – and that was even before I asked to adopt you. You were attached to me _then_.” There was a gentle exhale of breath. An endearing murmur overflowed the senses. “Silly child. If I left you now… What would happen to you?”

Time and time again, Dick tried to be angry with this man. He tried to stay hurt, to stay closed emotionally to everything this man was saying – but he couldn’t. Slade was a different man now. He had changed because of the love of a family. The change within ten months was astonishing.

How could Dick stay angry when he’d become the center of this man’s life?

“Protecting me wasn’t the only reason, was it, though?” whispered Dick, wishing for the excuse to stay hurt and angry. “Trigon offered to bring back Grant, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did.”

Dick lifted a gentle ‘well, there you go’ gesture, before turning his head away. No matter how many times he tried to remain detached, the man constantly pulled him back. But how could he remain detached after what the man revealed about himself? The man’s self sacrifice was heroic, if Dick considered it – though, he was sure Slade would be appalled by the term. Though they were father and son, they were closer than comprehension. In the years to come, it would seem they would be dear, close friends.

He was selfish. He didn’t want the man to want Grant back. Dick never felt the need to compete with Rose and Joey. They were part of the family, older brother and older sister to him. But Grant was always the one Dick was competing with, even if in the beginning he hadn’t realized it. Without a doubt in Dick’s mind, he knew Slade had chosen him to be his apprentice because he’d reminded the man of his long dead firstborn son.

Trying to overcome the shadow would be impossible.

But more so… Dick didn’t want to share.

“But I required more than Grant for my services.”

The weight of a large hand rested on the back of Dick’s shoulder. This time, the weight wasn’t fully unpleasant. He felt the man bend down. A whisper entered his ear; his eyes widened. Dick’s heart pounded in his chest, just as all the willpower to stand disappeared from his legs. His knees went weak and he nearly collapsed to the ground, if it weren’t for the strong hand that held him up by the upper arm.

“You’re swooning again,” commented Slade dryly.

“ _Why?_ ” breathed Dick, ignoring the man’s joke. “Why would you do that?”

“They were important to you.”

“But…” whispered Dick; he glanced up at the man. “I have you now.”

“The originals are always best. I can’t compare to them.”

_What…?_

Since when was this man so noble? Since when did Slade feel so low about himself that he couldn’t see just how important he’d become to Dick in his life? Did he not see how much Dick loved their life? How could he not know how much thrived within their little household? Yes, it wasn’t like the first, but it didn’t make it any less of value.

How could this man just not _get it?!_

Dick’s lips thinned. “Does that mean me, too? I’m not the original firstborn son. Am I not good enough?”

There was a sharp inhale of breath beneath that mask.

“Oh, Dick… Of course not. That was never my intent—”

“If you’re not good enough to be my father, then I’m not good enough to be your son!” shouted Dick. Strength returned to his limbs. He pulled out of Slade’s supporting grasp. “I get it. I’ve been getting it. _You’re_ the one who doesn’t get it! You’ve twisted everything, but the bottom line is you don’t have any self value. _You?_ Of all people, I would’ve never guess it.”

Dick stood up straight and pointed at the man.

“It’s your turn to listen up. All right? You’ve _always_ been good enough, even before you promised you’d retire. You don’t have to be anything or prove anything. Love isn’t conditional. _My_ love for my adoptive father has never been based on conditions.”

Dick ran a hand through his hair, beads of sweat slipping down his temples.

“Okay, yeah, I flipped out earlier. But come on, you broke your promise – even if you say you didn’t. I still care about you. I still want you in my life. I want to keep living with you and Will, and Joey and Rose. Even though it’s not the family I started life with, it’s still the best family ever. You’re so clueless. Why can’t you see that?”

More than ever, Dick wanted to see the man’s expression. More than ever, he wanted to see every contour of the man’s face change with his words. Even a subtle change could be seen, if one was looking. But that stupid mask stopped it all, blocking one of the most important sections of communication.

“I’m sorry that being immortal is a burden,” whispered Dick. “I’m sorry that you’re always making decisions for me, instead of for yourself. But… I’m glad for you and thankful you’re my father now. I wish yesterday and today never happened, that we all were still back home, laughing and sitting around the kitchen table.”

Dick covered his face with his hands, pressing his palms into his eyes.

“I just want everything to be normal again.”

A moment wasn’t wasted. Dick found himself drawn into that all familiar firm chest. This time, he returned the gesture and wrapped his arms around the man’s torso. He buried his face as best he could. It was different than the freshly laundered white shirt; the scales of the man’s suit pricked at his skin, but he didn’t mind it.

“You never fail to be remarkable. I’m sorry.”

Dick nodded against Slade’s chest and tightened his hold. The hug tightened as well, Dick’s upper body being nearly squeezed too hard, as if the man feared he’d disappear. Dick smiled, thankful he wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

Then, the moment ended too quickly. He felt the man’s chest stiffen, before he shouted, “Move!”

Dick was suddenly thrust backwards. He tumbled to the ground behind Slade, his hand catching his fall, just as the man struggled against a fire demon. Slade finished it off, but another one got in a lucky shot. Its extended arm caught Slade in the face; a second later, a slice of the bō-staff eliminated it.

The duel colored mask clattered to the ground. As the fire demon fizzled away, Dick pushed himself to a sitting position and looked up at Slade. His hand burned from scraping it against the ground. Well, his wish came true; a bit too easily, but he wasn’t about to complain. Slade kept his back to him, however. The mask lay a few feet behind the man, yet he didn’t turn around.

“Dick, close your eyes.”

“What?” said Dick, raising a confused eyebrow. “Why?”

“Just obey me. Close your eyes.”

Dick waited, wondering if he should listen to the man. Well, he’d been wanting that stupid mask off. Those fire demons actually had a good use for once.

“Are they closed?”

Dick pulled his smarting hand behind his back and crossed his fingers.

“Yes, sir.”

He wasn’t lying per se, _right?_

It was a good thing they were hundreds of feet underground in a precarious situation with fire demons and lava, wasn’t it?

As the man turned around, Dick suddenly decided that maybe he should’ve listened to his father in the first place. Fathers do have good reasons for their instructions, didn’t they? Yes, next time, he’d obey the man. Unfortunately, that didn’t help the now. What should’ve been the – probably irate, since Dick wasn’t obeying – pristine, fleshy face of Slade, was instead a fleshless skeleton with only a single grey blue eye within a left eye socket.

_Holy Jack Skellington!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on Friday, June 5th:** Chapter Twenty-Eight: Purgatory – Darkness has many names. Trigon is no different. In the end, rescuing Raven might not be the only priority on the agenda. Sometimes, a price is paid when dealing with the father of lies.
> 
>  **Author’s Note:** Awe, bless you all! Seriously. I’m so glad you’re all enjoying the story. Do hang on for a bit now, it’s going to get bumpy for a long while, if you haven’t noticed. ^^;


	28. Purgatory

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Purgatory**

 

**May 25th, 2009. Monday, 1:00 am: a month prior to current events.**

Slade clicked his tongue in annoyance, growling beneath his breath. He dropped his arms, the gun hanging at his side.

It was just a shadow. There was nothing there. The Tower was empty, no life whatsoever, except the furball and the worm. It was just a phantom, a figment of the imagination. He was being overly paranoid – wait, no; there was no such thing in Slade’s opinion. But maybe this whole thing was foolish. Honestly, bringing a gun into the Tower? Who was Slade expecting, the Joker?

_And yet…_

The kitten was still hissing at that figment of the imagination.

The hostility of her voice grew more. Her glaring gaze was in the exact direction Slade’s shot rang through. He gave the kitten a passing glance, before he clicked his gun, readying it for a second shot. The squishy mutant moth continued to whimper at her side. If animal instincts were to be listened…

The shadows flickered. Slade pointed his gun towards them. He watched them, waiting for another sign of life. One chance. That’s all it would take—

And then, there was a low chuckle, silky and dark in its tones. It was enough to chill even Slade’s heart.

“You missed me.”

Every sense inside Slade’s body screamed in alertness as a grey, black mist flowed out of the shadows. It circled Slade, mist vaporizing as further shadows collected to maintain the form. Slade kept his eye on the creature at all times, even when it attempted to slide into his blind spot.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Slade.”

“You know my name,” said Slade with a raised eyebrow, watching the mist fade and reappear. Though his tone sounded almost conversational, his muscles were tense and ready. “But I don’t have the same courtesy. Who are you?”

A better question would’ve been, ‘What are you?’. The mist held no true form. Sometimes, Slade would catch the glimpse of something which resembled that of a human form, before it faded into something less tangible. It was constantly moving, as if it couldn’t maintain a single form for long.

“Who am I?” purred the form, the black mist rustling intensely. “I am known by many names. Which would you like to hear?”

“As many as you wish to divulge,” said Slade, his eye narrowing. The mist chuckled darkly, coming to float and flutter near Slade’s shoulder. It continued to circle him, nearly engulfing him in the blackness. There was a deeper hiss from the kitten.

“A seeker of truth. Excellent. Very well, then. I shall indulge you,” purred the mist, sounding darkly pleased. There was a light pause, before it continued. “I am he who was accused as the Liar from the beginning, yet was that old serpent who showed the _truth_ to the Mother of all living.”

Slade’s eye widened; a chill slid down his spine. The mist circled once more, black specks of the dust raining down with every movement. Yet, nothing touched the ground beneath it.

“I am claimed by many to be their Adversary, yet I have done nothing to warrant this cruel, iniquitous title.”

Slade’s breath caught in his chest, a feat to only be obtained when his children were in danger. He gritted his teeth, yet showed no outward change to his impassive expression. Well, he’d certainly screwed up here. He had picked up the whopper of all dangerous foes, now didn’t he? Just… _wonderful_.

The mist continued to circle, like a shadowed predator. In its tone, a faint waver of smug pleasure could be heard, as if it knew Slade’s thoughts.

“I am known as Lucifer, the son of the morning – the fallen son to whom few listened. For my revolutionary ideas, I was thrust from the Heavens.”

Slade let out his breath silently, slow and drawn out. The tension faded with it and he regarded this creature with feigned dismissal. “Hmm?” he drawled, attempting to remain calm, yet every part of his soul was weighed down with a sickening feeling. “So, speak of the devil himself.”

There was a dark, silky laugh.

“Oh, you’re funny. I like you. You have quite the wit.”

Slade’s skin crawled.

“But such names bring only ill memories to mind. Thus, to many worlds and planets of this universe, I am merely known as Trigon.”

Ah, yes. Now that name Slade knew well. But that name had just as many ‘ill memories’ as the originals. He’d heard of this demon’s terrible nature, but he always assumed it was a matter of other planets and not an actual threat to be dealt with. Slade had met plenty of enemies, but he had never met one of equal or greater power than himself.

Batman needed a competent sidekick before he became a threat. Even with Superman, though the fight would be intense and enormous in proportions, he had his weakness. With Kryptonite being such a rare commodity, getting an ounce of it would be relatively easy.

Yes, that was a contradicting statement.

Slade already had a small stash of the stuff, just in case, not that he was about to mention it to Dick anytime soon. The boy would have a fit. But, an ounce of prevention was a pound of cure, as the saying went. It paid to be overly careful and paranoid.

But preparing for such an enemy as this? It had been inconceivable; no thought could have predicted this.

Nonetheless, he was just another enemy to be taken down.

“So, you say you’ve been waiting for me,” said Slade, his mind pouring through every possibility of ending this creature. For the first time in his life, he saw no way of penetrating the mist. “What do you want from me?”

The mist stirred in amusement. “Have you not been seeking me? I’ve only answered your… aheh, rather intense summons.”

Slade’s eye narrowed. “ _You’re_ the one targeting Dick?” he hissed. His heart pounded against his chest. Time; he needed more of it; how to take him down; must think of something; _stall it_. “Why are you harming my son? What’s your purpose?”

The mist paused in front of Slade. It shivered, specks of black falling rapidly; an inhuman, yet chillingly soft exhale breathed over Slade’s senses.

“Let’s just say… I wanted to meet you.” The breath changed; there was a silky laugh. “Think of it as my calling card.”

Slade bit back the growl that threatened to rumble his throat. “Well, you’ve met me,” he said, unable to hold back the slight hiss in his tone. “What do you want?”

“Mmmm, you are an interesting person, are you not?” purred the mist, but something deadly now entered its tone. “Your very existence defies all the laws of nature. Not only you, but a number of your offspring as well. I am, in fact, very surprised that you are even allowed to exist by them. This is something that they would be angry over.”

Slade swallowed. “What are you talking about? What do you mean, _they?_ ”

The chuckle that shivered through the mist’s form made Slade’s skin crawl even more.

“Oh, you know very well that if _I_ exist, then the residents of the Heavens exist as well,” purred Trigon, his misty form fluttering darkly. “You go against the very rules and designs of Heaven. Immortality is only given to those who _deserve_ it, who have proven themselves. You and I both know your history would give you a one way ticket to _my_ homeland.”

Slade bristled. This thing knew too much. “I’m an Atheist,” he said. “Do keep your babblings on the level of reality.”

The mist seemed greatly amused. It purred, its form shivering slightly. “Oh, isn’t Atheism a lack of belief in deity? But there is no need for belief when proof lies before your eyes.”

No. No. No.

This wasn’t happening. There were no such things as angels and demons – no matter what this thing said. Otherwise, it forced Slade’s outlook on life to change, forced him to reevaluate the meaning of life, and _that_ just wasn’t going to happen.

“Oh… _denial_ much. How… _delightful_.”

_No, no, no._

This was just a bad enemy – a terrible one, a _deadly_ one. This thing could be conquered. He had to have a weakness. Find the weakness, destroy the enemy. End the threat.

“Your first born…” The mist trailed off suggestively and Slade stiffened, alarmed that this creature knew something so personal. “He died at such a young age, did he not? Such a tragedy, really.”

“What of it?” asked Slade, his tone clipped with irritation.

“Such impatience,” chided Trigon. “I was hoping you would make a deal with me. I just need you to do a little job for me. Really, it’s very simple. You do something for me, I do something for you. If you aid me, then I can restore what you’ve lost. I can bring back your first born son, Grant, from the Veil.”

Slade sucked in his breath; his eye widened.

“Wouldn’t you like to see your son again?” purred Trigon. “He was lost at such a young age. Fourteen… Now really, that is far too young. So much life to live. He had such grand potential. He could even have children, as your other two are unable to due to their… _condition;_ thus, giving you the grandchildren and posterity you so richly deserve.”

_“Son, what do you want to be when you grow up?”_

_The ten year old, brown headed boy grinned up at Slade, his grey blue eyes sparkling with innocence and unveiled mischief._

_“I wanna be just like you, Dad!”_

The pain of the boy’s absence stuck Slade with the same strength it dealt him on the death anniversary. _Grant, you missed so much._

_“Dad, can you help me with this?”_

_“Dad, can we go hunting this weekend?”_

_“Pop, you’re too stiff. No one thinks like that any more. It’s the eighties; get with the times!”_

_“This is so unfair! All my friends are going, why can’t I?”_

_“I hate you! Don’t even talk to me any more!”_

_“I’m going over to my friend’s house, okay? I’ll be back in a few days.”_

Two days later, Slade would get the boy’s mangled body in a box. The grief he had felt at that moment washed over him in renewed power. It was like learning his son had been killed all over again. It overwhelmed the senses. The mist expanded, wrapping around Slade’s body and dousing him in the darkness. It spidered its way over his skin, crawling upward to smother every living section.

“You could see him again,” whispered the mist. It was so soft, so seductive. “You could see your boy again. You only have to do one little thing for me.”

_‘You could see Grant again.’_

_‘He could live a full life.’_

_‘Your mistake can be erased.’_

Words whispered into Slade’s ears. Memories flooded through his mind. Reality blended with the past and, for a moment, it seemed as if Slade would be lost in the flood of darkness. The gun slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor.

A boy with bright, crystal blue eyes shone through the memories, instantly chasing the darkness away. His gentle laugh broke the specks of black; his beaming smile shattered the dust of the darkness. Slade could remember the trickle of moments that had brought them together – Dick hugging him for the first time; Dick signing the adoption papers; Dick glowing with softened, tender delight when Slade had said, _“Yes, you are my son.”_ ; and the pure happiness that flooded through Dick’s entire being when Slade first said, and continued to say thereafter, _“I love you.”_

A clear, abundant peace flushed through Slade’s every sense. A trilling, lilting murmur encompassed his soul. Wherever it touched, the mist recoiled.

That boy had filled the void left there.

It seemed as if the darkness had muddled his senses for a time. Slade wouldn’t have been able to realize this had it not been for the powerful wave of peace that was present through his being.

The dead couldn’t be brought back, no matter the sins of the living. Slade had always know that. There had been so many minutes, hours, days, _weeks_ spent wishing he had a second chance during that time. If he could go back in time, he would change it all. He would do things right. He would remember what life truly was about.

But he could _never_ forget the one who had taught him that.

There would no real change, no real desire to do things differently, had Dick not been in his life. The boy had, inadvertently yet beautifully, taught him what it meant to be human. For so many years, Slade had always desired the exciting adrenaline rush of the high danger jobs, whether it was being in the army or being the world’s most feared assassin.

Without that special, bright boy, Slade was stagnant – and he knew it, without a doubt.

Slade opened his eyes and faced the demon. The sole reason he was here was for Dick. The boy was suffering; he was under attack; and even though he wasn’t Grant, he never had to be.

“Excellent try,” said Slade softly. The mist dispersed. Then, it molded back together, forming itself in front of Slade once more. The darkness was no longer suffocating. “Good effort, but I won’t be lured into a falsehood. The dead are dead; they can’t come back.”

The mist shivered in amusement.

“My power lies there. I can bring your son back,” whispered Trigon, closing the distance between them again. The mist threatened to drown out the light, but Slade withstood it. “Or,” he continued, his tone breathless, yet rising with new danger. “You could decline my generous offer and I can give you a one way trip to meet your lost boy. Of course… That would mean leaving your new boy behind.” Slade stiffened as new darkness entered the creature’s tone, hatred and loathing hissing through the voice. The mist rippled in agitation. “Ripping your _unnatural_ immortal spirit from your _corrupt_ body would be a most easy task.”

Slade drew in a deep breath, focusing on remaining calm.

“I believe the term immortality has an exactness in its meaning,” said Slade, his lips curling in mocking. “I’m afraid the threat of death has little meaning to me. You can’t kill me.”

Those words had a poor effect. The mist expanded, hissing furiously. Its entire essence changed. It thickened and, with a sudden attack, the mist formed into an arm. Suddenly, Slade was thrust backwards into the wall by a force that was so powerful, yet so inhuman, he’d never experienced the like of it before. Mist flowed around his neck like the sands of the sea. The force that held Slade trapped against the wall assimilated human touch, but didn’t have it same warmth and life.

“ _Foolish one!_ ” hissed the mist, his voice lowering and becoming disembodied. The pressure around Slade’s neck intensified, cutting off his oxygen. The mist was agitated further, never slowing down. Though it tried to maintain a human form, it never quite stayed in one appearance. A face formed, the mist splitting apart to form eyes. It never held the form long and a new face would materialize immediately afterward.

Whatever face it did managed to obtain, only reiterated the creature’s absolute insanity.

It was the most disturbing thing Slade had ever witnessed in his life, even beyond the horrors of Vietnam.

“ _You think you can defy me?_ ” snarled the mist. Wide eyes and snarling face formed before melting into another. “ _You forget who I am, you pathetic mortal!_ ”

The force on Slade’s neck doubled. Stars broke through his vision. He choked, unable to breathe. The mist poured over his entire body, the granules of black sand digging into the very pores of his skin. Thought began to fade, but he struggled against it.

“ _Your death is meaningless! I will strip you of your life and go after the boy!_ ”

Never, in all his life, had Slade felt powerless like this. The enemy was going to suck his life away. The power stole the rest of the air in his chest. A sensation Slade only ever felt when his body realigned with his soul in his death ravaged his heart. It truly felt as if the beast was trying to rip his soul away.

Just like that; death was as simple as that.

Breath wasn’t possible. Movement wasn’t possible.

Doubt flowed through Slade. What if it was true? What if Trigon could kill him? Where bullets, swords, and torture had failed, could this inhuman, formless creature really do the impossible?

Slade struggled to keep his eye open. The monster was talking, but Slade couldn’t hear any more. The creature’s black mist was tinged with sparking red, as if the friction between each grain created flames.

Blackness formed in Slade’s mind. If this creature didn’t let go soon…

A powerful wave flushed through Slade’s veins, a force unlike anything he had ever experienced before – and yet, it was soft, warm, and tender. Its nature was an absolute dichotomy. It trilled with its lilting, warming his entire soul with an unquenchable heat that wasn’t overbearing.

The pressure on Slade’s throat released and he dropped to the floor, where he proceeded to gasp for breath. The creature hissed and howled in pained rage. The warmth faded; a gentle sensation touched Slade’s shoulder. But it was gone before he could fully understand what it was. His hand clutched at his throat, yet the flesh didn’t ache, nor was it bruised.

Slowly, the creature stilled, its previous agitation calming. Then, when it spoke, nothing gave away its condition moments ago.

“The noble always choose death. The intelligent know to choose life,” said Trigon, his whisper arrogant. “You’re an intelligent man, aren’t you?”

Slade didn’t answer. His limbs wouldn’t answer his command to get on his feet. He didn’t want to be bowed on the ground, crouched on all fours like some subservient. Immortality was a curse; it had been, almost from the beginning. If this creature could kill him – of which Slade now had no doubt – would it not be a welcomed blessing?

It wasn’t noble to seek death, no matter the intentions. It was selfish. Those left behind were tortured, left wondering and second guessing in agony.

And, for a brief moment, Slade felt selfish.

It was but a fleeting feeling when he remembered the boy waiting back home. That boy had given him a second chance with his other children. Now was not the time to give into weakness. Dick needed him and Slade was determined not to fail a second time.

Once was enough.

“You could gain from our pact,” whispered Trigon, the mist shivering into its seductive tones. “Wouldn’t you want to gain something, instead of losing everything you’ve received so far?”

“That’s… _blackmail_ ,” hissed Slade, his voice hoarse.

“Mmm, perhaps. You’re intelligent. I’m sure you’ll pick the _right_ choice.”

Slade’s jaw clenched. He had been trying to find the sick devil who had been targeting his son. He had no idea it truly _had been_ the Devil himself. If that wasn’t ‘karma’, then there was no such thing.

“ _Sooo_ ,” purred Trigon, the mist assimilating into a black arm. A hand formed there and it held out, as if waiting for a handshake. The mist formed a face; sickening, deformed eyes were wide with a light of insanity that rivaled the Joker. “ _Do we have a deal?_ ”

Slade narrowed his eye.

“Only on _my_ conditions.”

The mist shuddered in dark pleasantry, chuckling in a low whisper.

“As you wish.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 9:28 am.**

That grey blue eye flared with undeniable fury.

Dick could only stare at the face before him. It wasn’t actually a face. He could see the black eye patch; he could see the grey blue eye. The only problem: that eye was so unnaturally set within grey bone. There was no flesh, no muscle, no skin – nothing of what constituted as a normal, human face. It simple terms, the man looked like a walking Halloween skeleton.

It was freaking _scary!_

“Why don’t you _ever_ do as you’re told?!” snapped the skeleton, his gloved hands motioning wildly in front of his body. Well, it sounded like Slade. The mouth moved with that familiar voice. Oh, but that face was _not_ his father.

“D–Dad? W—what happened to you?” asked Dick, gasping. He barely noticed the pain in his scraped hand as he slowly got to his feet.

“Oh, so _now_ I’m _‘Dad’?_ ” drawled Slade in utter derision. He bent down and picked up the mask. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered. Oh, yes, it hasn’t been lost on me that you’ve failed to call me ‘Dad’ up until now. Should I expect this to continue or are you simply experiencing a lax in self control?”

The man’s tone oozed with bitter sarcasm and rightly so. Dick, on the other hand, was far too focused on the fact that the man had no face any more.

“What happened?”

“The real question is _why_ can’t you ever obey me?” snapped Slade, slapping the mask over his face. Dick had to admit, the mask was an improvement. The man looked away, putting his hands onto his hips and letting out a low huff. “I can’t wait for ‘the end of the world’ to end. You are so grounded, I can’t even begin to number the _months_.”

Without realizing it, Dick took a few steps closer to the man.

“We can add this to the growing list of your indiscretions. You already have _prolific_ profanity, constant disrespect, extreme cheekiness, endless backtalk, and now blatant disobedience. Have I left anything out?”

Slade’s tirade stopped, just as Dick reached out to him. His hand rested against the man’s middle arm. Like before, he felt no warmth. Something in the man’s demeanor softened.

“Don’t ignore me, brat,” said Slade with another huff, but his tone was more gentle now. “You’re in big trouble. The least you can do is look a little contrite over it.”

But Dick wasn’t listening. His hand slid upward; he felt the man’s armor beneath his fingers. It was colder than normal. He looked up at the mask, looking into the only human feature left to Slade. Now, it held a different meaning to Dick.

“Is everything like…”

There was a pause as the man’s chest rose in a deep breath. Slade nodded. “I am without flesh and blood. I am merely a walking, talking skeleton.”

Dick smiled. “Who still has a decent walloping hand there,” he said, his mouth twitching upward in sheepish mischievousness. Slade let out a low breath.

“You deserved every swat and then some for your words,” said Slade with an irritated growl. “You’re lucky we’re in this mess. You would’ve been taken to the bathroom by the ear so fast for a mouth washing you’d soon never forget. Not to mention, a trip over my knee, unlike the express version you got—don’t you _ever_ express your displeasure of me in such a way again, young man. You won’t see the light of day until you’re old and grey. You were _lucky_ this time.”

“Hey, you’ve said some pretty colorful language before.”

There was a low, dark chuckle. “Yes, but certainly not about the adult with authority and definitely not in _front_ of said adult!”

“So, I can swear whenever you’re not around?” asked Dick, now grinning impishly from ear to ear.

“Oh, try it,” drawled Slade. “And see if you survive the experience.”

Dick smiled again, the pressure in his chest relieving somewhat. But the good mood he had tried to create quickly vanished. He bit his lower lip as he stared at the man’s armored chest. His hand lowered; his palm flattened against the cold armor, right over the man’s heart.

He was tempted to know what the man looked like beneath the layers. Would it show only skeleton? Was there truly no flesh there? Would Slade’s heart be there, beneath the row of ribs? What had happened to the firm, warm chest that held the man’s heartbeat? How many times had he been drawn against this chest? How many times had he been held in a protective hug? Would he never experience it again?

Was there still hope to change everything?

“What happened?” asked Dick in a low whisper. His fingers curled inward against his palm. The man let out a low sigh.  A comforting weight rested against the middle of Dick’s back. Eyes closed as Dick rested his forehead against the cool metal.

“Trigon never intended to keep his end of the contract,” said Slade. “When it became… apparent that there was no other way to deal with him but through a contract, I insisted on four conditions for the contract. One, he was to stop targeting you. Second, third, and fourth were three lives. Grant, Mary Grayson, and John Grayson.” The man’s tone lifted, as if he were smirking. “When he mentioned that my conditions were high, I told him I was expensive; ask any of my previous clients.”

Dick blinked, before he let out a breathy, soundless laugh.

“Long story short, he turned his back on the contract once Raven arrived. Since she became resigned to her fate, I had no part in completing our end of the contract – according to Trigon’s flawed logic.”

The hand on his back gently patted and, for a moment, Dick was able to forget their surroundings, focusing solely on what had become perfectly normal to him.

“Will gave me the ring of Azar,” whispered Slade; his voice was pained. “Said it would protect me. I should’ve left it with him. The only thing the ring did was to ease the pain of Trigon’s betrayal. My soul is permanently anchored. I was a fool to think Trigon could actually kill me.”

“How do you know?” asked Dick.

“I’m not sure,” said Slade with a sigh. “When the contract broke, it supplied me with information. Like the possibility that Raven is still alive and her potential location as well. I also know where to go to restore my flesh. Some things are just feelings and intuition. I realize now that Trigon only had the power to tear my flesh away, not my soul.”

The skin on Dick’s hands became white as they clenched further. The backs of his fingers brushed against the armor. The man’s hand moved to the back of Dick’s head. Gloved fingers carded through his hair.

“Come, we need to keep moving, before further demons slow us down.”

Dick nodded, but before he could move away, his ear was painfully grasped. Wincing, he was forced to tilt his head to relieve some of the pain, but the pinch was relentless.

“Ow, ow, ow, D–Dad—”

“Listen up,” said Slade sharply, and Dick opened his eyes, narrowing them in the pain. The pinch doubled in strength; now Dick was _fully_ paying attention. “When I tell you to do something, you better do it. I don’t have time for you to think about it and then, _maybe_ you’ll do what I say. Remember what I’ve said before? This isn’t about disobey and be punished. It’s about disobey and get hurt. Are we clear?”

Dick nodded, his eyes watering on their own. The man still didn’t let him go. Though the mask obstructed the man’s face – for good reason – somehow in Dick’s mind he could see the exact expression his father would’ve given.

“When I say to do something, it’s for _your_ good. Not mine. Understand?”

“Yes, yes! You can let go now!”

“That’s _‘yes, sir’_. If I tell you to jump, your answer is, _‘how high?’_ – are we clear on this?”

“ _Yes, sir!_ ”

“I won’t tolerate your disobedience any more. I want the upmost of respect. I am your father and don’t you _dare_ forget it again. No more backtalk, no more sulking, no more disrespect, no more disobedience – and do keep your cheekiness down to the bare minimum. Am I understood?”

“ _Yes, yes, Dad!_ ” cried Dick, wishing the man would release him already. “Please let go! I promise— _I promise!_ Just let go, _please!_ ”

Slade made a satisfactory sound with his throat, before letting go. Dick instantly rubbed his ear, the flesh heated to the touch. The man’s shoulders shook slightly and Dick knew the man was quietly chuckling at him. Well, hey, _he_ didn’t just have his ear pinched, now did he? It wasn’t pleasant at all!

Slade tapped Dick on the nose, causing him to glance up into the mask. The light within that grey blue eye was soft.

“Don’t forget.”

Dick only nodded, still rubbing his ear. Though he swore to himself he wasn’t going to forget, a small part of him told him not to get his hopes up. He was fifteen, after all. Couldn’t expect the impossible here.

Okay, well, _this_ impossible, anyway.

It didn’t really occur to him that Slade had meant something a little deeper than just disobedience.

Without another word, Dick followed after the man. The trail descended deeper into the earth. The light the lava had provided began to dwindle as they walked further downward. The dull pain that had pinched his ear had now subsided. Dick’s mind was in swirling with everything. He realized that Slade had paid a high price for his choices, but the man’s heart had been in the right place.

As for Dick… Well, he felt bad for not trusting the man from the beginning. He should’ve trusted in his feelings.

 _But…_ He had trusted in his feelings the last time, too. Terra had betrayed them. His trust in her had failed in a way. Even though she had turned back to them, she had still been planning on betraying them from the beginning. His intuition on the matter hadn’t been correct. And yet, Dick still wanted to believe in her. He still wanted to believe in his father.

This time, Dick was going to make sure to be strong. He wasn’t going to weaken. He was going to be a strength to his father. Slade had borne a too heavy weight all by himself. Dick wanted to be someone who Slade could rely on – like a son, like an apprentice, like a partner, like an heir.

It had always been his role; its meaning had only changed.

Suddenly, the ground gave out beneath Slade’s feet. There was a loud, low grunt as the man fell from Dick’s sight.

“ _Dad!_ ”

Dick rushed to the edge and slid down after Slade, with no hesitation. The jagged rock face tore into his supporting hand. A moment later, his feet touched earth. He tucked his head and fell into a roll, crouching when the momentum halted. He wasn’t aware that his hand was now bleeding. Crumbled broken rocks lay across the ground. Amongst the debris, Dick caught sight of Slade.

“Dad, are you all right?” asked Dick, rushing to the man’s side. He pulled the remaining rock away. There was a low groan, as the man made an effort to push himself from off the ground. Dust fell at his sides.

Something wasn’t right. Slade didn’t normally act like this. He was strong. He was invincible. Dick had rarely even seen the man tired. Exasperated, yes, but never to the point of total exhaustion.

So, why was the man struggling to get up?

Slade didn’t _struggle_.

Dick helped the man push upward; however, Slade resisted help to his feet. Instead, the man stayed on all fours, breathing heavily; it was as if every breath took an enormous amount of energy.

“What’s going on?” whispered Dick. “You’re not okay. Why can’t you get up?”

The man let out a hefty sigh through the labored breathing.

“Being without flesh and blood… It’s weakening. I don’t have the same strength I used to.”

The man continued to breathe deeply, as if trying to draw strength in through every breath. But it was obviously it wasn’t going to work. The man didn’t have lungs, did he? Dick wasn’t sure, but the way Slade was breathing, perhaps it was true.

“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard,” whispered Dick, more to himself than to Slade. “You can’t do things like you normally can.”

He was weak; his father was too weak. They weren’t just here to save Raven; Dick was to save Slade as well.

“If you continue down that path, you’ll find Raven… I think,” said Slade, still breathing heavily. “We should split up and meet—”

“Are you insane?” demanded Dick. “I’m not leaving you like this. You can’t even get up.”

“Dick, I have to—”

“Have to what? Get yourself killed or too hurt to meet up?”

“Would you stop interrupting me?” snapped Slade. “And I’m not going to die, silly boy.”

“Uh, huh; just like I’m not gonna leave you behind.”

The man let out a low huff, but didn’t say anything more.

“Come on,” said Dick, putting the man’s arm around his shoulder. He hoisted them up. The man’s weight was heavy against his side, but Dick was strong enough to handle it. He began to help the man walk. “Don’t worry, Dad,” he whispered. “You don’t have to do things by yourself. We’ll find Raven and then I’m going to help you get your body back.”

_No matter what. I’m not losing another father._

ooOOOOOoo

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on July 3rd:** Chapter Twenty-Nine: Rescue – As Dick and Slade continue their journey, the others begin their attack of Trigon. Finding Raven proves to be more simpler than originally thought, but with Slade’s deteriorating condition, the battle for his body becomes next to impossible – leaving Dick the fight to the death in the place of his father.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** And when you thought my writing couldn’t get any more intense… XD
> 
> So, a little back story on the ‘flashback’ section. Originally, I hadn’t planned on revealing what exactly happened in the Tower when Slade went there. But when I was writing that chapter at the time, the encounter insisted on being written. Even then, I wasn’t sure if I would reveal it later on. Still, I’ve always felt it was chilling to see Trigon in his coercion. The TV show gave us a small glimpse to this trait, but I’ve planned on revealing it a lot more, especially later on. Wiki also mentioned who Trigon was fashioned after. I simply decided to take it to the next level – and I must say, I’m super proud of how it turned out. :)
> 
> Also, thank you all for your lovely comments! I wish I could respond to every one of you, but I’m unable to at this time. Know that I really appreciate all you and you make writing that much more enjoyable. Thank you! *huggles*


	29. Deliverance

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Deliverance**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 7:21 am.**

_“Rose, that is a terrible idea,”_ said Joey, his hand becoming a permanent resident against his forehead. He didn’t even notice that he reverted to his usual way of talking, which he had developed over the past years. The reflex was strong, instead of using his newly acquired vocal cords.

“Oh, come on,” snapped Rose. She punched her hand, her grey blue eyes glinting dangerously. “The buzzard isn’t going to expect a full frontal assault. This is our chance to catch him off guard.”

“Or be plunged to our deaths to be burned up in the fiery lava below,” said Cyborg, sounding both aggravated and light hearted at the same time.

There was an exasperated sigh; it was warranted: they’d been talking – note, heated discussion, better known as arguing – for fifteen minutes since Dick and Slade’s departure.

“When you guys come up with a plan, let me know,” said Beast Boy, with another sigh, added with the roll of his eyes. He flopped backwards onto a nearby rock face. Starfire sat down next to him, letting out a low sigh, too. Her gaze fell upon the location of the stairs which Dick and Slade had taken.

 _“We need strategy in this or else we’ll fail,”_ said Joey.

“This thing is supposed to know everything,” retorted Rose. “A little ‘strategy’ is gonna do us nothing when he knows what we’re going to do, even before we do it. Now a punch to the face requires absolutely no thinking. Let’s just slug the Godzilla wannabe in the nose and be done with it! We can take him!”

Joey closed his eyes, as if in pain.

“Is she always like this?” asked Cyborg.

_“Indefinitely, yes.”_

“Excuse you,” said Rose slowly, her words coming out in a dark, suggestive purr. “No one asked you to express your opinion here.”

Joey blinked. His face lifted in a light expression, but his eyes darkened with sly mischief.

“Cyborg did.”

The arguing only intensified after that.

Starfire watched the group, her mind completely elsewhere than the matter at hand. She couldn’t stop thinking about Dick and about what he had told her. It both made her heart fly to the heavens and sink into the depths of the earth.

_‘I love you.’_

He loved her, more than just a friend, more than what they had been for all this time. He felt the same as her. It was mutual, _finally_ they felt the _same_. It was enough to fuel every energy of Starfire’s soul. With its power, she could fly endlessly, until the heavens and earth faded away in the span of a millennium upon millenniums.

But why had Dick said it to her at the very moment he did?

Starfire could only fear for the reason. Dick did not think he would come back. Perhaps he thought he would never return or they all would fail and become like the rest of the people of this planet. Perhaps… he thought they would all die and he would never have the chance to tell her his feelings.

Whatever the reasons, they were all bad.

Starfire’s clasped hands tightened together. If anyone else had held her hand, the force of her power would’ve crushed their bones. She glanced up at the others. Rose was now prodding Joey in the chest, her grey blue eyes flaring with anger, while Joey merely looked annoyed. Cyborg was trying to interject with his own opinions in between the sibling argument, but with no success.

Then, Starfire’s eyes drew along Rose’s back and rested upon the long pure white hair, which was drawn up into a thick ponytail. All the noise of voices faded somewhat as Starfire focused her thoughts.

There was no time to be fighting. Dick’s survival rested on them. They had to distract Trigon. If Starfire wanted any kind of future with Dick, one that was more than what they’d had all these years, then she had to do something about it. A future with the one she loved had so much potential. How dearly she wanted that! There was nothing more she wanted than to be by his side, to continue their life together, and one day even start a family.

But such a future, such a life, all that couldn’t happen if they didn’t do their job. She couldn’t wait for the others. The one she loved with her entire soul needed her.

Her hands loosened.

A deep breath was taken, before Starfire pulled the elastic band – which was on her upper right arm – down the length of her arm, until she removed it completely. Starfire could feel Beast Boy’s eyes on her as she stretched the band around her fingers. With a final glance at that white hair, she drew her fingers through her own hair. In moments, Starfire had most of her hair smoothed back, and then with nimble fingers, she used the thick band to tie it all together. When finished, most of her hair was pulled back into the ponytail, save for two strands that hung beside her cheeks.

There was no more time to waste.

“We should do both,” said Starfire, her voice quiet. At first, the others didn’t seem to notice her soft interjection – although, she had Beast Boy’s full attention. It was in a few short moments later, when Cyborg glanced over at her. His eyes widened briefly. Then, Starfire took a deep breath and said, much louder, “We should do both.”

Somehow, her peaceful, yet commanding voice silenced the fighting. Joey gave her his full attention, while Rose folded her arms and took a stance of pure grumpiness.

“We cannot waste any more time,” said Starfire. A warm breeze brushed against the back of her neck, a sensation she wasn’t used to; but somehow, the lack of heat and weight against her neck was empowering. “The more we talk, the more time Trigon has in seeing Dick’s objective. Those who wish to attack Trigon head on should do so. Those who wish for a more shrewd attack should do so. There are enough of our members that we could achieve this.”

In the unrelenting silence that followed her words, Starfire suddenly lost her confidence. Did she say something wrong? Was she too assertive? Was she too demanding? She wasn’t one to be the leader; that had always been Robin’s job, and after which, Dick’s job.

Had she done something wrong now, in her efforts to aid Dick?

“All right!” cried Rose, smashing her fist against the palm of her hand again. “You heard the smart girl, brother. I’ll go give Trigon a piece of my mind, while you all come in for the sneak attack.”

With her simple words, everything seemed to fall into place now; Starfire couldn’t hold back the smile.

Beast Boy hopped onto his feet, his hand bolting into the air. “I’ll give him my wet-willy maneuver!”

“Sounds like a plan, BB,” said Cyborg, a hint of a smile finally lifting the edge of his mouth.”

 _“You better get going, then, Rose,”_ said Joey. _“We’ll come in right after you.”_

The light in Rose’s eyes was positively demonic and the smile that lifted her face made it worse. It was only a second before she whirled around and raced towards the upper area of the library. A minute after she was out of sight, her taunting, mocking words rang clear through the nearby land.

“ _Oi! You overgrown buzzard! Your Mama was a fat cow, while your Daddy was a scrawny antelope!_ ”

The roar that followed signified Rose’s success in being a distraction.

Joey motioned towards himself and the others flocked around him. Starfire’s heart rose as she knew they were now, finally, helping Dick in his mission. She couldn’t help him directly, but she was going to do all she could to support him.

As the group turned towards their massive opponent, the breezy wind brushed against them, gently carrying the weight of Starfire’s hair from off her back. Determination filled her soul.

_Wait for me, Dick._

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 9:40 am.**

Dick didn’t know where he was going now. He was bearing the weight of Slade against his side – the man was _not_ light – and the weight of what he had to accomplish. He had to save Raven and he had to save Slade; all the while, make it back alive with the two of them. Then, save the world, after that.

Yeah, no pressure – not at all.

In the back of his mind, he could hear an all too familiar voice softly whispering negatives. _‘You can’t save anyone. You can’t even save yourself. You’re weak. See? You’re falling beneath his weight. Just stop it – stop trying. You can’t restore Slade’s body. He is a dead man. You’re not going to find Raven. She is dead. You cannot save the world. This is your tomb; you will die here.’_

Dick had to fight against body and mind. His bleeding hand throbbed painfully – he hadn’t had time to take care of it. Not only did he have take each step after another, his mind constantly assaulted his heart and spirit. With each step forward, it was getting harder and harder to carry on. But after all that had happened, he wasn’t about to fail.

It didn’t matter if it was easier to just stop.

It didn’t matter if Raven wasn’t there.

It didn’t matter if they couldn’t restore Slade’s body.

It didn’t matter what demons lay in the darkness.

Dick wasn’t going to stop; he wasn’t going to fail; he wasn’t going to give up – no matter how easy it would be to drop to his knees and let the world fall around him, he was going to keep stepping forward.

And then, all the while, as he dragged Slade with him, Dick felt as if his steps were guided. Whenever he tried to go a different route, he felt a powerful draw towards the direction he should go. So, he continued on. Slade seemed out of it during this time, something Dick had never experienced before with this man. Slade drew in deep, almost rattling breaths, as if his lungs shook against his very ribs.

And with those sounds, Dick had to ignore the rising fear for the man’s life.

Soon, the dark caverns opened to reddened sky, yet it didn’t feel as if they had reached the surface. The air was clearer here and Dick finally could draw in a deep, expanding breath without choking and feeling sick to his stomach. The sulfuric heat no longer oppressed the senses. The land ahead was built like a bridge, yet it didn’t appear manmade.  Pillars rose high along the edges of the bridge, the points slim, yet the rest of the pillars’ surfaces were rough and jagged. Further than that, Dick saw something along the lines of an ancient church, which was fallen into ruins.

Dick slowly lowered Slade to the ground, near the entrance of the dark caverns. He rested the man against the wall, hoping that Slade would be able to recover soon.

“You should’ve left me behind, Dick,” whispered Slade. The man took another rattling breath. “I would’ve been able to gather enough strength to keep going after awhile. You’ve wasted valuable time.”

_Oh, yeah. You sound like you’re in fantastic condition._

Dick knelt down in front of Slade. The man’s head was bowed and it was apparent that he wasn’t going to look up at him. Dick put a hand on the man’s shoulder.

_Come on, Dad. Do I really have to spell it out for you?_

“You didn’t like it when I stopped calling you ‘Dad’, did you?” asked Dick, keeping his voice soft.

The man drew in a deep breath, one which rattled less, before shaking his head. “No, I didn’t, and I never thought I’d feel such a way until you stopped.”

Dick smiled. “I didn’t like it either. So, you know why I could never leave you behind.”

Slade shook his head. He didn’t say anything right away. He reached out and clasped Dick by the upper shoulder, his hand wrapping around Dick’s neck with a firm, yet gentle tenderness. That cold, loving hand squeezed. Dick vowed to make that hand warm once again.

When Slade finally spoke, his voice was somewhat hoarse with emotion. “You are the most annoying, aggravating brat of a child that I have ever had the immense pleasure of associating with – and one I am proud to call my son.”

Dick smiled.

Then, there was a familiar sound; those sizzling, hissing sounds that could only mean one thing: _fire demons_. Dick jumped to his feet, whirling around to face the new enemy. A handful fire demons flowed out of the ground.

As more fire demons appeared, the number becoming much more numerous, Slade growled. “This is getting annoying,” he snapped heatedly. He tried getting up, but it proved too difficult for his failing body. He let out another, more audible growl, before withdrawing his broadsword from off his back in a single, swift motion. Even though he was seated on the ground, leaning against the wall in a supposedly weak position, he still managed to look extremely dangerous.

“Dad, you rest,” said Dick, holding up a hand. “I’ll take care of this.”

“I’m not an invalid, you impudent boy!” barked Slade, more than irritated. “Don’t you dare start thinking that or you’ll regret it!”

Dick grinned. “I know, I know,” he said, digging into his utility belt. “Just let me take care of this. I have a new toy to try out.”

Thus, he pulled out two of his latest boomerangs – properly dubbed birdarangs, not that he was about to let Slade know. The man would crack up and effectively make fun of him for hours. With a click, they connected together and extended into a rapier blade. There was a sharp intake of breath from Slade.

“When did you develop that?” asked Slade, sounding surprised and impressed.

“During my free time at the Tower,” said Dick, smiling at the man. The smile softened after a moment. “I… wanted to be more like you.” He lifted the blade into the air slightly. “Though, this suits me better than a broadsword.”

The fire demons charged. A rush of excitement surged through Dick; he met their charge. With a single slice, he brought two of the fire demons down. They swarmed him, surrounding his every escape route. Dick swung the rapier with confidence; fire shattered, the ashes falling to the ground. Dick lost count as he swung, sliced, and stabbed the weapon towards every fire demon that advanced on him.

As the final one fell to the ground, after being stabbed in the chest, Dick disconnected the two boomerangs. He came back to Slade’s side to help the man to his feet.

“I don’t need your assistance,” said Slade with an annoyed huff, pulling away from Dick’s proffered hands. “I must admit, though, excellent work on that rapier.”

“Thanks—”

The man suddenly grabbed Dick’s left hand and forced the palm upward. Dick let out an involuntary gasp as the pain surged from the sharp action. Darkened blood mixed with fresh bright blood covered his entire hand. A gash, about two to three inches long, extended the length of his palm in a diagonal stroke.

“ _Tsk_.” There was a click of the tongue. “I knew I saw blood on the ground earlier. Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”

Dick withdrew his hand, curling his fingers against the inflamed palm.

“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“Oh, for— _That_ is _not_ just a scratch,” snapped Slade, scoffing. “That is a slash. In the very least, you should bandage it. You could lose mobility in that hand if it’s not treated right.”

“I don’t have anything to bandage it,” said Dick, looking away. “Look, we don’t have any time, so it’s okay. It doesn’t hurt very much—”

Slade grabbed Dick’s injured hand, which only made Dick gasp again because of sudden pain. He gave the man a glare, but didn’t pull back his hand.

“Don’t do that!”

“Doesn’t hurt much, hm?”

“You didn’t have to test it!” snapped Dick. The man let out a low sigh, though Dick was sure there was a chuckle hidden in it. Slade softly traced the edges of the open wound. Pain pulsed beneath the touch and yet, there was something different about it. The flesh tinged in response.

“I just don’t want you to be hurt,” whispered Slade.

Dick smiled, nearly forgetting the pain. “I’m okay, don’t worry—”

He stopped short, as something unexplainable occurred. The tinge in his injured flesh grew even stronger. It overrode the pain, leaving a warm burning sensation amongst his skin – yet, it didn’t hurt. Then, before Dick’s eyes, he watched as the open gash in his hand slowly knitted back together. Though the action of knitted flesh was slow, the entire wound healed within a few seconds. Only the remnant blood remained.

Dick jerked his hand back, clenching it and unclenching it in test. There was no pain. His actions became more intense as he repeatedly clenched his hand. Then, he rubbed both his hands together, before lastly kneading his thumb into the palm of his left hand.

“It’s gone,” said Dick, barely unable to believe it. He didn’t stop moving his hand, trying to make sense of it. “There’s no pain. The wound is gone. Why—I don’t—What happened?”

But the silence from Slade could only mean he was just as shocked as Dick was by this.

“The tests came out negative,” whispered Slade. “There’s no possible way you could heal like that.”

“Uh, _hello_ ,” said Dick, showing Slade his palm. “Something did!”

“And anyway, your hand had been injured earlier. If it were by your power, then it should have healed you right away.”

“Mmm… You didn’t spit on me, did you?” asked Dick, both in accusation and in teasing. Slade snorted in amusement.

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Oh, good. I don’t think I could live that one down.”

Slade, it seemed, couldn’t hold back: he let out one snort, before it turned into a single deep laugh. It was short and yet, Dick welcomed the sound. Afterwards, Dick held out his hand.

“Whatever it was, we’ll find out later,” said Dick. “Come on, I’ll help you up.”

And Slade’s amused mood appeared to vanish at those words.

“I can get up on my own,” said Slade, annoyed. “I have my own two feet and I can get on them by myself.”

After a few minutes and when it became obvious that Slade wasn’t going to get up on his own, he accepted – albeit grudgingly – Dick’s help. However, he refused to allow Dick to help him walk. While Dick really wanted to help, even if Slade was a bit grouchy about it, he could see improvement in the man’s mobility. So, he walked beside the man, watching carefully, in case of sudden weakness. And while his mind tried to wonder about the sudden healing of his hand, he forced his mind to stay on the two jobs at hand.

A mysterious healing was far less worrisome than a mysterious injury, after all.

“Blast it, boy, stop hovering over me,” snapped Slade, but without any real heat to his words. Dick only smiled mischievously.

“Only when you stop rocking back and forth.”

“Impertinent brat,” muttered Slade. “Just you wait until we get home…”

The man continued to mutter underneath his breath. Dick said nothing in return, although he couldn’t hold back the glowing grin on his face. As the two of them walked along the length of the bridge, something white caught Dick’s eye. Within a landscape of black and crimson, Dick became alert. He heard Slade inhale deeply.

“Go, I’ll catch up,” said Slade, his tone urgent.

 _Raven_.

Then, Dick knew what and _who_ it might be. He nodded and ran forward. He heard the flutter of a cape; out of the corner of his eye, he saw the fabric flash of white. He turned to the source of the sound, seeing the trail of white vanish behind a large fallen boulder. Dick wasted no time in following it. However, when he reached it and looked behind it, there was no white.

Then, there was a soft cry, as the sound of flesh hitting rock struck a moment before. Dick once again turned towards the sound and found a cloaked figure a few feet away from the boulder. In a moment, Dick was only a foot away. He dropped to his knees and reached out. He gently lifted the end of the white cloak to see small, thin legs. The knees were scratched slightly. The figure turned around, just as Dick released the fabric. The hood of the cloak fell back, revealing the unmistakable likeness of Raven.

But she was so young.

Bright violet eyes were wide with childlike innocence, something Dick had never before seen in the girl’s expression. Her small arms drew inward, her body curling defensively. Within those innocent eyes, however, there bore a glimmer of suppressed pain and heightened fear.

“ _Raven_ ,” breathed Dick.

She couldn’t be older than seven or eight, a mere child. That wasn’t their Raven. This was someone so different, one who only emulated the original. Trigon had stolen their dear friend away.

But as Dick locked eye contact with the little girl, he knew that though this wasn’t the Raven he’d always known, this girl still held a part of that friend.

“Who are you?” asked Raven, trembling with fear.

“I’m a friend,” said Dick. “Don’t you remember?”

As Dick leaned forward, she whimpered and pulled back from him, her violet eyes glistening with fear. Her eyes flickered between Dick and Slade – who had limped forward with difficulty – her fear growing with every glance. Dick settled back on his heels, hoping to appear less threatening towards her.

“It’s okay, Raven. We’re not going to hurt you,” whispered Dick, putting up his hands.

“How–how do you know my name?” asked Raven. Her little voice was so soft, so frightened. “Why are you here?”

Whatever Dick had been expecting to find within the depths of the earth, this little Raven was not it. An injured Raven, yes. A forgotten Raven, yes. A lost Raven, yes. But he hadn’t expected such a drastic change in the Raven they had known and who had been their friend. This Raven wasn’t the stoic girl, who held her emotions to herself, who never let anyone know how she felt, both in speech and in body language. This little Raven bore her emotions and fears within her bright violet eyes.

And there wasn’t anything more Dick wanted to at that moment than draw this little girl in his arms and protect her.

“You’re lost, aren’t you?” asked Dick, keeping his tone soft and gentle. The little girl nodded worriedly. She drew back slightly, still visibly suspicious of Dick. He let a sad smile lift his features. “I’ve been looking for you. You got lost and I was so worried about you.”

The light of hope brightened within those violet eyes. The little girl leaned forward somewhat.

“You were? You were worried about _me?_ ”

Dick nodded, new hope of his own rising in his heart at the earnest, yearning expression within Raven’s face.

“You were my friend,” said Dick softly. “But something happened and we were separated. Do you remember anything at all?”

Her eyes said it all. She nodded barely, while saying, “No.” Her expression never wavered, but all the answers were there – and Dick knew she remembered.

“I know you’re afraid,” whispered Dick. “But you don’t have to be any more. I’m here to protect you.”

Raven’s lips trembled and she shook her head. Her arms curled around her chest.

“I know why you’re here and it’s not going to work.”

“What?”

“I can’t do it!” cried Raven. “Look at me! I’m a weak little girl. I can’t do anything; my powers are gone. I can’t defeat Trigon. I’ll just get in the way. So, you can just go back. I’m sorry you wasted a trip.”

Dick slowly drew in a long breath, before he let it out in the same manner. “Oh, Raven,” he murmured. The little girl ducked her head, as if waiting for some reprimanding words. Dick carefully lifted his right hand and rested it in the air in front of her, the palm facing upward in a beckoning gesture. “I didn’t come for that,” he whispered. Raven’s head popped up. “I came here for _you_.”

Those violet eyes glimmered; big tears formed a moment later, slipping down her cheeks in deep streams. Her expression crinkled; her tears fell; her mouth opened in despair; her hands drew upward to her eyes. Then, she began to openly sob, as only a child could.

Dick wasted no more time: he completed the distance, grabbing her beneath her upper arms and lifting her into his own. She was small and she fit so perfectly there. Her legs automatically wrapped around his waist; her arms slipped around his neck; her head dipped into the protection of his shoulder.

“ _Why?_ ” cried Raven, her soft voice broken with sobs. “Why would you come?”

Dick held her tightly, patting her gently on the back.

“Because, you’re my friend.”

The poor girl started crying even harder now. Dick turned around and glanced at Slade, giving the man a sheepish smile. He stood up, hefting Raven higher in his arms. He put a finger to his lips and started walking back the way they had come. Dick walked slowly, so to allow Slade the time to keep up with him. He tried not to make it obvious, but the man was quick on his feet. Slade didn’t make any mention of it, though.

And all the while, little Raven cried in Dick’s arms.

It was soon, however, that Raven began to quiet down. She stayed in his arms, content to be carried. After a few minutes of walking through the darkened, overheated caverns, Slade put a hand onto Dick’s shoulder. Dick glanced to the left to see Slade’s head dipped slightly, his chest heaving deeply. The man was taking those rattling breaths again. Dick shifted Raven’s weight in his arms, before he turned somewhat to face Slade, but he avoided dislodging the man’s support while doing so.

“Dad, are you all right?” whispered Dick. He felt Raven stiffen in his arms. He patted her on the back again. Slade merely nodded, taking another moment to take deep breaths. Then, after a moment, the man looked up and continued forward. With another pat on Raven’s back, Dick continued at the slow pace.

Soon, they came to the point where they had fallen downward. Dick looked up and instantly knew there would be no easy route going up. There had to be another way.

“If we go that way,” began Slade, pointing over the fallen debris of rocks. “We should find the door to the underworld.”

Dick raised an eyebrow. “Hold up, they have an actual door? Anyone can just walk right in.” He paused, before adding, “Not that I’d think anyone would _want_ to.”

“Not so fast, there’s a gate guardian. As his name suggests, he guards the door. Few have ever defeated him. Even in the event of his death or destruction, he always returns to his post.”

“So, basically, any method is fair game?” asked Dick.

“Exactly.”

“Good, this should be easy. No holding back, then.”

Slade let out a low scoff.

“In my condition? This is ridiculous, I can barely stand without wobbling like a toddler.”

Dick only smiled, keeping his worry to himself, and gave the man a pat on the back. Dick wasn’t about to tell Slade that he wasn’t going to let him defeat the guardian. Dick was going to do it, _alone_. The fight would be easier if he didn’t have to worry about his father’s condition.

They continued down the pathway, climbing over the fallen debris and going downward even further into the depths of the earth – Dick pursed his lips into silence as he watched Slade struggle, even with his help. Fifty steps down a long stairway and two near heart attacks – on Dick’s part; the man kept losing his footing and almost falling face first if it weren’t for Dick’s quick reflexes – they finally reached the bottom, where a grey door with intricate patterns could be seen at the end of the pathway.

Sure enough, a tall, muscular guardian stood at the door. His armor covered much of his skin, though of what could be seen of his skin showed that he wasn’t exactly human. Visible skin was grey, while beneath the helmet which the guardian wore, two red eyes shone through its metal.

Well, this might not be as easy as Dick had originally thought.

“It was foolishness on your parts in coming here,” said the guardian. His voice was deep and gravelly. “You have only brought a terrible death to yourselves. You should’ve accepted your fates.”

Dick let Raven down, slipping the girl downward with careful control. Her hands clutched at his arms as she clung to him. Raven looked up at Dick and he smiled at her, patting her gently on the head.

“Stay here,” whispered Dick. “This man here is my father. Even though he looks a bit scary, he’s not going to hurt you, okay?”

“Wait a minute, Dick, you’re not doing this alone.”

“Dad,” began Dick, looking back at Slade. He pushed Raven towards the man. “Watch over Raven.”

“Dick—”

“I can do it, Dad. Let me do this for you.”

_After all you’ve done for me, this is the least I can do. I’m sorry I stopped believing in you._

As Dick turned around, there was a sharp intake of breath from Slade. There were no more protests, however, and Dick knew he had the man’s support. He stepped forward and pulled out two of his boomerangs, immediately connecting them. A rapier appeared.

“So, you would come to your death, too.”

“Nope,” said Dick, lifting the rapier and sliding into a fighting stance. “I’m not dying today. I have a world to save; I have a family to get back to – I have a whole lifetime to fill. And I’m missing just one piece of the puzzle to have all that. You’re gonna give my father his body back, one way or another. Of course, there’s always an easy way or the hard way.”

The guardian lifted an arm into the air. A long, grey, double sided scythe appeared in his hand.

_Ooo, the fun way._

Dick bolted forward. The clash of steel rang through the cavern. His feet slid against the ground from the force of the blows; the scythe weighed down against his thin rapier. With a cry of strength, Dick threw his rapier back, forcing the scythe away. The guardian didn’t lose momentum; he swung the dual sided scythe downward. Dick flipped back, just at the tip of the axe end of the scythe smashed into the ground.

_I can do this._

Dick stabbed his rapier into the ground and quickly pulled out two more boomerangs, connecting them so they formed into a second rapier. He ducked just as the scythe swung towards him. The _whoosh_ blew over his hair. Dick grabbed his first rapier and swung them together in pattern.

Steel clashed against ancient steel; sparks flew with every opposing strike. Every blow was parried against Dick, despite his increasing speed. He had never fought like this before and he was sure Slade had never seen him fight with dual blades. But after all the training the man had given to the Teen Titans, Dick had wanted to do something that stepped up his own ability and power.

And once again, he found himself wanting to impress the man who had become his father – _to make him proud_.

As Dick’s speed increased even more, the guardian matched him with perfection. Steel upon steel rang every few seconds as Dick fought the enemy. The scythe swung with such infinite speed, it was as if it were made of feather – and yet the weight in which it smashed into Dick’s blades made his body rattle, down to his very bones.

Then, as the guardian swung his scythe, Dick glimpsed an opening. He leapt into the air, landing on the metal rod of the scythe. He ran up its length, intent on stabbing the guardian in the neck. Just as he lunged forward, slashing his second rapier horizontally as well, his footing flipped to the side; the scythe turned sideways and Dick fell to the ground onto his back. He rolled to his left, narrowly avoiding the terrible axe blade of the scythe.

The metal smashed into the ground, breaking the earth apart like putty. Rocks shattered and flew in all directions, hitting Dick in the face. A shout made him look up.

“ _Dick!_ ”

Sparks shattered into the air, dying out immediately after initial contact. Dust flared upward. Broken rocks dug into Dick’s back. Sweat beaded down his temples; the heat of the fight making the cavern even more unbearable in its temperature. As the dust settled, Dick could see up into the guardian’s eyes. Dick’s arms flexed in strength as he held off the axe end of the scythe from chopping him in half. The axe slide against his rapier, the sound sending chills down Dick’s spine.

“You will die here,” said the guardian, calm as ever. Pressure was applied. Pain flared through Dick’s upper body. He could felt his arms giving way; his teeth clenched against it. The power intensified; the guardian was determined to crush him. The ground was slowly giving way beneath Dick’s back.

“I’m not dying any time soon!” growled Dick through his teeth. With a rush of adrenaline, he shoved upward. The guardian’s power loosened slightly, and with that opening, Dick slide out beneath the scythe. The ground shattered above his head, as Dick rolled between the guardian’s legs. He bolted to his feet and swung his blades at the guardian’s open back.

Steel clashed; Dick rolled to the side out of the way and paused, stabbing one of his rapiers into the ground to steady him. All his muscles screamed in pain; his skin was hot from perspiration; his lungs gasped for breath. The guardian slowly faced him, his dark eyes gleamed beneath his helmet.

“You are just a weak human,” said the guardian. “You do not have the power nor the strength to defeat me. You cannot hope to win.”

Dick focused on his breathing and on resting. He kept his eyes on the guardian, but he didn’t move. However, his eyes caught the crouched figure behind the guardian. Little Raven was standing at Slade’s side, her eyes wide with fear and awe.

But what gave Dick the most strength was the expression inside the only visible feature in Slade’s face – that grey blue eye, which was wide with the same fear, but mixed with an immeasurable amount of pride and awe.

That alone made everything worth it.

With a determined grin on his face, Dick drew his rapier from the ground and bolted forward. His crying muscles couldn’t be heard; the pain in his lungs couldn’t be felt; the heat couldn’t be noticed. There was only one thought that drove Dick’s entire being.

_WIN!_

The speed of the crashing, slashing blades intensified. Sparks danced, sparkled, and clanged with every contact of steel. In the flight of the fight, Dick circled the guardian, forcing his enemy to move around to parry the blows. And then, when the guardian’s front faced the large door of the underworld, Dick made his move: he jumped off the door and stabbed forward; but his attack missed as the guardian blocked the blow with the rod of his scythe. Dick rolled out of the attack.

“You know, you’re right,” said Dick, with his back to the guardian. “I might not be able to win against you in a fight, but you forget one important fact.” Dick slowly rose to his feet and turned around. A sly grin spread across his face. “You don’t just need power to win in a fight. You also need a bit of ingenuity.”

A beeping sound quickened from behind the guardian. He glanced back, just in time to see an ammunition disc on the door. A second before the explosion, Dick raised a mock hand in parting and said, “Sayōnara.”

The explosion shattered the door.

Rocks flew in all directions. There was a _thunk_ as the guardian’s helmet landed on the ground, while Raven gave a loud squeak of fright when the scythe slammed into the ground near her. White light streamed in a single blast from the door, before slowly dissipating. As Dick looked inside, he could see further light coming from deep within the earth. He glanced back at Slade, where he could see the unending pride within the man’s eye.

“Well?” asked Dick, releasing one of his rapiers. The boomerangs were then stored back into his utility belt. He kept one rapier out, however. “Are you back to normal?”

Slade didn’t move for a moment, before seemingly to shake himself out of a daze. He shook his head. “No, I am still the same.”

Dick let out an elaborate groan. “What does a guy have to do around here to get his father’s body back?”

Slade let out a snort, before changing it into a light cough. Dick sighed, but with a smile on his face. He let out a wave and began to walk towards the door.

“I’ll just be a minute.”

“Dick, wait!” said Slade, sounding alarmed. “You can’t go in there. What if you can’t come back out?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be right back,” said Dick, waving his hand dismissively. He knew Slade was going to panic now, but the door was open and there was no way he wasn’t going to try. He wanted Slade back to normal, no matter what. And anyway, the moment he sensed something off, Dick would bolt out of there like no tomorrow.

“ _Dick!_ ”

And with that, with no hesitation, Dick crossed the threshold of the doorway to the underworld.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on July 31st:** Chapter Thirty: Retaliation – The cranky guardian of the underworld puts up a fight, but Dick is determined to win back his father’s body. Meanwhile, the Titans wage their war against Trigon. However, the Earth, under the command of Trigon, shows that it has more than just weak fire demons in its army.
> 
>  **Author’s Note:** Wooo! *huggles all* I can’t believe it’s been another month. Time is flying this year. Can anyone believe it’s July? I mean, it was just January. Who skipped all the months? Seriously? XD Thank you all for your awesome comments and reviews! I send you all smiles and huggles! :3
> 
> Rose is love. Rose is life. Chant it with me, folks! AHA, she is so fiery, she makes me laughs so much I officially adore her now.
> 
> I have to say I am so proud of how the fight scene turned out. Like, I struggle with those types of scenes and this one just flowed and everything, and I was so happy in the end. I hope you all put on some awesome, intense music, because it only makes it better. ^^


	30. Retaliation

**Chapter Thirty**

**Retaliation**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:13 am.**

White light surrounded Dick as he walked down the wide pathway. There was something ethereal about the area around him. Darkness surrounded him, except for the pathway leading into an end. The air was different than the hot caverns from before. What it was, though, Dick couldn’t place his finger on it. The ground felt soft, yet hard at the same time – nothing like the loose, rocky surface of the earth.

Once Dick reached the end of the pathway, light shone brightly for a moment, disappearing altogether. Another door appeared, at the end of the pathway, and slammed shut, taking away the light that had directed Dick’s pathway. Dick took a few quick steps forward, his hands touching the door to look for an opening, when there was a surge of heat through the metal door. Dick recoiled.

“Hey, hey, where d’you think you’re going?” demanded a cross voice.

Dick whirled around; his eyes widened in shock, having not seen anything more than simply light and door. A young man was sitting behind a crimson desk. He was leaning back in his chair, his long legs extended over the desk. He looked to be in his late twenties and his short, crimson hair was spiked upward. His green eyes were bright against his dark tanned face.

“Who’re you?” asked Dick, unsettled to even see anyone here – let alone anyone _alive_ and normal looking. Well, sort of…

“Hey, hey, _I’m_ the one asking questions here,” huffed the young man. He pointed his finger at Dick, waving wildly at the door. “Just what are you doing here? You can’t go in there.”

Dick inhaled, drawing up his chest to look a little taller.

“I’m trying to get my father’s body back, if you don’t mind,” said Dick. He folded his arms and glared his best. “Trigon stole it from him and I’d like it back.”

“You can’t just demand things like this! That’s against protocol,” said the young man, sounding thoroughly annoyed. He dropped his legs and drew his chair up to the edge. He rapped the surface of the table firmly. “There’s a proper order in which we do things around here, you know!”

“ _Proper?!_ ” cried Dick. “The entire world has been destroyed! Or do you not get out much?” The young man puffed up indignantly, but didn’t get a chance to interject as Dick continued to rant. “I don’t care what ‘order’ you people think you’re on about, but all I want is my Dad’s body back. I defeated the gate guardian and I’ll defeat you if I have to!”

Dick huffed, furious at even the thought of being stopped now.

“Whoa, whoa, hold up,” said the young man, his eyes narrowing. There was a pause as he watched Dick. “You defeated Apep?”

“Uh… what?”

“Apep!” snapped the young man incredulously, as if repeating the name cleared all confusion. “You know, the big, burly guy at the front door? He sometimes carries a giant axe thingy?”

“You mean that double sided scythe?”

The young man looked thoughtful for a moment. “Is that what that is…?”

If this was an example of the residents of the underworld, Dick had little hope for them.

“Look,” began Dick, coming to the desk and slamming his hand onto its surface. The young man pulled back with a baleful expression. “I just want my father’s body back. Trigon stole it, now give it back!”

“We don’t do returns!” snapped the young man. “Go away!”

The irritation inside Dick peaked. He flourished his rapier and pointed it at the young man; the tip of the blade tapped against his chin. A dark light entered Dick’s eyes; the young man swallowed nervously, his thin Adam’s apple bobbing once.

“Today, you do,” whispered Dick, the dark determination oozing through his tone. It poured through him, his fury. His arm trembled slightly. His jaw was tight. There was a long moment where the two of them stared at the other. Then, the young man let out a low, longsuffering sigh.

“I am _not_ paid enough for this job – ah, heck, I’m not paid at all!”

Dick raised an eyebrow; the tension lowered in his muscles.

“Would you put that thing away!” snapped the young man, pushing the rapier away from his neck. “You’re going to poke an eye out! And those are painful to regrow, you know!”

Well, now Dick was thoroughly confused. This young man didn’t look a bit intimidated by him, not at all – and while that didn’t fully bother Dick, it was a bit strange. Whoa, hold up…

“ _Regrow?_ ” repeated Dick, frowning. “You can’t regrow eyes.”

Slade was obviously proof of that.

“Says you, you upstart!” snapped the young man. “Just because you mortals can’t regrow things, it doesn’t mean we can’t.”

Maybe he should’ve brought his father with him. Slade probably could’ve convinced this idiot to give back his body.

Dick took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He could do this. He was smart. He was raised by Batman; he was trained by Deathstroke – surely he could convince this young man to give back Slade’s body. Obviously threats weren’t going to work here and Dick wasn’t desperate quite yet to beg – not yet, anyway; not after punching this idiot in the nose first.

“Look, kid—”

“Dick.”

The young man’s expression darkened.

“You wanna run that by me again, punk?”

Dick rolled his eyes. “ _My_ name, not you. My name is Dick. And yours?”

The young man watched him, as if gauging the truthfulness of Dick’s name. Hey, it wasn’t his idea of a nickname. No changing it now, though.

“Styx,” said the young man, pointing to himself. It took Dick a moment to realize what he meant.

“You mean, Styx, as in the River Styx?”

A vein pulsed in the young man’s forehead. “Yeah, yeah, everybody thinks I’m a river,” he snapped, rapping his fingers on the desk. “But it’s my first name. It’s not that crazy, what with you people naming your munchkins Blue and Apple. News flash, folks: I ain’t a river!”

Styx let out an exasperated huff, before leveling a glare at him. Dick thought it wise to be silent. This young man seemed a bit volatile. Styx leaned forward onto the desk, resting his elbows. He looked over his clasped hands, staring at Dick with unearthly bright green eyes.

“You say you defeated Apep.”

Dick nodded, keeping his questions to himself.

There was a long moment of silence; then, there was another exasperated sigh.

“Name of recipient?”

Dick frowned, confused. “What?”

“The name! The name of the owner of the body, you dolt!” snapped Styx hotly. He growled slightly, before muttering under his breath, “Stupid kids nowadays and their lack of vocabulary. Google it, for crying out loud.”

Dick flushed. “I know what recipient means,” he said, folding his arms. “It’s Slade Wilson.”

Styx hummed noncommittally. He pulled back and grabbed something on the table. Dick was startled to see that it was a laptop, nearly perfectly concealed by a matching crimson color as the table. Curious in spite of himself, he leaned over the table to get a close look. Styx lifted a hand and flicked Dick in the nose.

“You wanna lose your nose?” asked Styx, not even looking up at him. Dick scrunched his nose, rubbing it slightly. Dick did nothing to protest this treatment. There were the sounds of keys taping swiftly. Dick settled back on his heels and waited, praying everything would turn out fine. Then, there was a final tap on the enter key.

The second door opened. There was a flash of light, before it sped the way Dick came. It disappeared a moment later.

“There you go,” said Styx, shutting the lid to the laptop down and sitting back in his chair. “But don’t blame me if something is missing, though. There’s something weird about it, especially since a soul didn’t go with it.”

Dick held back a laugh, thinking about Slade’s eye.

“I think there is something missing,” said Dick, smiling. “But I’m sure Dad’s not going to have a problem with that.” Then, his expression softened. “Thank you. I appreciate this a lot.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You can go now.”

Dick nodded, lifting a hand to wave, before turning away. It was heartening to Dick; everything seemed to have been going wrong. To have something going right for a change was wonderful and slightly worrisome. With a smile of his face, Dick hurried back the way he came, unable to wait to see if Slade was whole again. However, he barely took a few steps when the young man called him again. Dick turned slightly, glancing back.

“Oi, kid. Best be careful out there,” said Styx, leaning an elbow onto the table and resting a chin in his hand. “I’d hate for a spry young’in like yourself to come back here, not as a demanding upstart, but as a resident.”

Dick laughed. “I’m not coming back anytime soon. Not unless, of course, Trigon steals Dad’s body again.”

Styx narrowed his green eyes. They shone brightly, the light beyond a color which had been seen before. The dark pupils changed suddenly, narrowing like a cat’s; then, they expanded to nearly the entire size of the iris. This lasted a moment, before they returned to their original state.

A chill like no other rippled through Dick’s entire body.

“Don’t get cocky, brat,” said Styx, his tone serious. The color in his eyes glimmered. “Your timeline is short – way shorter than what’s normal for a kid your age. Mmmm… From what I see, if you’re not careful, you’re not gonna get through this nonsense alive. You will die.”

There was something ominous about hearing those words, but more so because this young man had been the one to proclaim it. There had been hundreds of times, if not thousands of times, where Dick had heard a threat on his life – mainly from criminals. At first, hearing a death threat from someone like the Joker was pretty frightening for a child. However, as Dick grew older and aged with more confidence through Robin, such threats no longer worried him as much.

Sure, they were disturbing sometimes, especially when certain enemies and criminals enjoyed describing _how_ such a death would come about, but wisdom came with age, as did the confidence.

But this was something much more.

“I’m not going to die,” whispered Dick. His lips lifted into a smile. “I made a promise, after all. I won’t die until Slade has a family who will never leave him.”

No, there was no way he was going to die. He had too much to do. He had a family to have. He couldn’t bear to leave Slade without a full home with endless noise upon laughter. He couldn’t let the man go back to who he’d been before.

 _No_.

“I’m telling ya, you brat!” shouted Styx, as Dick turned away and stepped forward. He didn’t look back. “I better not see you back here soon, if you know what’s good for you! Don’t come crying to me when you’re dead!”

Dick continued walking, restraining himself from looking back. As he stepped forward assuredly, light began to form ahead of himself. In a moment, the light had developed into a familiar figure. Dick tensed, as the guardian, the very one he’d defeated not moments ago, stepped forward out of the light. However, the guardian simply nodded to him, before passing him. This time, Dick couldn’t stop himself from looking back, just in time to see the young man berate the guardian.

“Oi, Oi, Apep, you got your butt kicked by a snot nosed brat,” snapped Styx, slapping the table heatedly. “That’s so bad for paperwork, you know!”

“He battled a fair fight,” said Apep, his voice low in his approval. “I have been defeated. I like the lad. You shouldn’t have been so mean to him.”

“ _It’s protocol!_ ”

Dick laughed to himself, smiling at the arguing two guardians. He turned back to his purpose and walked back out, swearing to himself that he wouldn’t be back for a long time. After all, that warning didn’t have anything to worry about. It was just another person in his life telling him to be careful. There was _no_ need to even think about it again.

Dick came out of the doorway, the fresh, yet not so fresh, smell of the fiery earth in his nose. The air once again suffocated his breathing. The door shimmered behind him, then disappeared altogether. But he ignored his surroundings, his eyes seeking out the one man he had done this all for.

Slade was on his feet, taking deep breaths. He flexed his hands, flexing his arms as well. He lifted a hand to his mask and slowly pulled it off. Dick couldn’t hold back the broad grin from nearly breaking his face.

There, beneath that horrible mask, was the face of his father. Ageless for eternity in his thirties, a black eye patch still covered that one eye. Pure white still decorated his goatee, eyebrows, and curly hair. A grey blue eye was surrounded by true flesh and blood. There was no residue of the old horror that been his face before. Everything was _perfect_.

Dick couldn’t be happier.

“ _Dad!_ ” shouted Dick.

Slade glanced up and smiled. It was more than just a smile – it was filled with pure affection. Dick bolted forward. Like a shooting star, he landed inside Slade’s welcoming arms. Then, those warm, oh wonderfully warm, arms enveloped him. The man held him tightly, beyond anything Dick had yet to experience. It was _alive_.

“Dad, you’re all right,” whispered Dick, feeling tears rush to his eyes. He pushed his face against the man’s suit, the scales rubbing against his skin. He felt the man tighten his hold on him. Then, Dick pulled back slightly, much to the reluctance of those arms, and grinned up at Slade. “I’m so glad.”

Slade didn’t say anything, but pulled him back into a crushing hug. His hand carded through Dick’s hair, his other hand pressing against his middle back, as if trying to live the warmth once again. For a moment, everything was forgotten. The only thing Dick knew was the life and warmth of his father. There was something vulnerable to the embrace, something that couldn’t be crafted, something that couldn’t be forged – it was real; it was truth; it was forever.

It was love.

Then, there was a delighted shriek as Slade’s hands attacked his sides. Dick wriggled in the man’s hold, laughing hysterically as he was tickled. Before he could find his voice to protest, he was lifted in the air. The man’s arms held him up by the upper legs. Dick grabbed the man by the shoulders to steady himself, as Slade held him in the air. Dick smiled again. The man’s face softened.

“Thanks to you,” whispered Slade.

Dick relished in seeing the emotions across Slade’s features. It was the face of his father. And while there was still a part of his heart that was pricked by the recent events, all Dick cared about was having this man in his life, the one who swore to protect him – the one who loved him; the one who carried him like no other; the one who filled with void.

Then, a pit of worry entered Dick’s stomach, as Slade’s expression darkened. There was a warning tap against his lower back.

“You have some nerve just entering that door, like it was the front door to a grocery store,” said Slade, his grey blue eye widening in warning. Dick smiled sheepishly.

“Well, it was a door…”

“Idiot boy!” snapped Slade. Dick hunched slightly, putting on the air of a remorseful puppy, complete with the eyes. Slade’s eyebrow twitched in response. “Do you have any idea what you just put me through?! You might not have come back, did you ever think about that? That was the door to the blasted underworld. You know, in my day, we _avoided_ the underworld. No one in their right mind would walk through the front door!”

“You actually thought about entering the underworld?” asked Dick cheekily. He squirmed in Slade’s arms as the man leveled a darker glare onto him.

“This isn’t a joking matter!” snapped Slade. “You could’ve been killed!”

“But I wasn’t and I saved your body,” said Dick, trying to wheedle his way through this. “So, really, we should be thanking me.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you dare try to worm your way out of this one,” said Slade, shaking his head and sternly glaring at him. “You are in trouble, young man.”

Dick sighed exaggeratedly. “Just how much trouble?”

He was dropped suddenly. He gasped, shocked by the sudden movement. Those strong arms surrounded him, wrapping him into yet another warm embrace. Dick sighed, smiling, and wrapped his arms around the man’s waist. There was something more desperate about this hug and for a moment, Dick felt the same. He always believed he would never lose Slade, after learning of his immortality. But this had been the first time when he truly realized nothing was permanent. No matter how much he wished it or believed it, even Slade wasn’t infallible.

“Thank goodness you’re alive,” whispered Slade. Dick inhaled, breathing before releasing it, letting go of all his previous worries and fears.

His father was back.

All the while, two violet eyes watched their gentle scene with confusion and curiosity in her heart.

Two small hands pressed against Dick’s legs. He withdrew from Slade’s hug and glanced down to see little Raven looking up at him. She patted his leg and motioned for him to kneel down – which he did so. Then, as she looked at him, she glanced at Slade, before leaning into herself shyly.

“What’s wrong, Raven?” asked Dick, noticing her change. It took a moment, before she spoke.

“Are all fathers like him?” whispered Raven. She sneaked a peek at Slade, who was amused by her. Dick felt a pang in his heart. He took her by the hands, wrapping his around her small ones.

“No, they’re not.”

“Why?” asked Raven.

“Not all fathers are good fathers,” whispered Dick. “I’m sorry.”

Raven seemed to consider it. She continued to look between Dick and Slade, as if trying to understand them.

“He sired you, right?” asked Raven, tilting her head in question. Her violet eyes became clouded, before they narrowed. “Wait… He didn’t…”

“Dad adopted me,” said Dick. “Remember, Raven, blood doesn’t mean everything. Yes, it can sometimes. But love isn’t based on blood. It’s based here—” Dick put a hand over his heart. “—right here, that’s where my feelings lie. I don’t have to be related to Dad to truly be his son, nor does he have to be related to me to be my father.”

Raven looked down at the ground, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. Dick pulled her into a hug and he felt her respond to it.

“And just because you’re related to someone,” whispered Dick, tightly wrapping his arms around Raven’s small frame. “It doesn’t mean they have any hold on you. Trigon might have ‘sired’ you, Raven, but he’s not your father. And you don’t have to answer to him, ever again.”

There were soft sniffles. Dick only held her close, hoping Raven would understand someday. He wished she had realized this sooner. Dick’s true feelings were more towards the fact that they could’ve prevented this disaster if they had fought against it. But, in a way, Dick knew that Slade was right. They couldn’t really stop Trigon. But they could defeat him now. There had to be a way. And Dick was going to stop him and make him pay for harming his friends and family.

Saving the world was just an added bonus.

Suddenly, there was that all too familiar sound of fire sizzling. Dick groaned and pulled out of the hug. He pushed Raven behind himself and stood up, pulling out his rapier. Slade withdrew his broadsword from his back.

“You getting back in the game, Dad?” asked Dick, making sure to be extremely cheeky.

Slade smirked. “Do try to keep up.”

Dick grinned and readied himself. However, as they waited for the onslaught of fire demons again, something different happened. The usual fire demons which they had fought so many before did not show up. Fire formed into more humanoid fire demons. While the previous fire demons didn’t have legs, these did. Their arms weren’t long, but more human like, and their heads were rounded, like the shape of a human. They stood on the ground with an air unlike the previous fire demons, who had seemed to have no mind nor way of strategy in fighting.

These, however, had a more form of intelligence.

And they were vaguely familiar to Dick.

Rushing forward, Dick began the fight. Slade joined the fray at his side. Instantly, Dick knew these demons would be more difficult to fight. They dodged and moved with expertness and while they weren’t quite a huge threat, they were a nuisance. Then, he recognized them completely.

“Dad,” began Dick in a long, annoyed drawl. “Why do these demons look like the one _you_ raised by tricking Thunder and Lightning?”

“Mmmm…”

“ _Daaad._ ”

“Well, I might’ve dabbled into some dark magic for a time…”

“ _Might’ve dabbled?!_ ” repeated Dick incredulously, narrowly missing an attack. “You messed with dark magic – dark magic that was connected with Trigon? Are you _insane?_ ”

“I’ve had my moments,” said Slade, almost amiably. “And mind your tone.”

“You probably alerted Trigon to yourself! You basically lit up a neon sign that said, _‘Come mess with me!’_ ”

Any onlookers – even though there were none save Raven – would’ve been amazed by the elegance and precision both Slade and Dick had during a fight which was two against countless others, all while holding up a conversation at the same time.

“I had my purpose,” said Slade. “And my purpose had been to get you to notice me – which I succeeded, if I may mention.”

Dick’s jaw dropped, before he let out a low shudder. “Dad, don’t you dare ever say that in front of Cyborg.”

“What?”

“His imagination is already damaged; I seriously don’t need you giving him any more weird ideas.”

Slade halted, stabbing a fire demon in the head. Fire exploded, splattering the ground with sizzling flames. He turned and stared at Dick, an eyebrow raised.

“What would he be imagining from such a thing as that?” asked Slade, though there was something in his tone that suggested danger. “Obviously my intent, shall we say, as a criminal was to test you in a number of things before choosing you as my apprentice – all in hindsight, of course, but nonetheless this should be apparent by now, even if things have changed.”

“Uh,” began Dick, slightly amused. Then, it faded, far too quickly, as he formulated his words. “Well, Cyborg had got some… different ideas about us.”

The light in Slade’s eye darkened; another demon met its death.

“Such as?”

Dang it, the man was going to make him say it out loud.

“Something about us _not_ being father and son…” said Dick, keeping his attention diverted to fighting, as to not look back at Slade.

“What else is there?” demanded Slade, his tone rising. Dick sighed and stopped, slicing through nearby demons before looking back at Slade.

“Ah, Dad, don’t make me say it out loud,” said Dick, huffing in annoyance. He shuddered. “Even him suggesting it in the first place is gonna give me nightmares.”

It appeared to take Slade a long minute to digest that statement. Raven glanced curiously between them, her attention flittering from man to boy while both continued their conversation – as if they weren’t being interrupted by quite a few fire demons. She appeared to not fully understand what was going on. Then, a chill entered the air. Dick had to leap backwards; Slade’s movements changed.

It was a fight Dick had rarely seen before. Slade put all his energies into literally obliterate nearby fire demons. Every second, two fire demons fell by the man’s blade. The fury raged through every slice and stab; it permeated the very air around the man.

Finally, there was a lull within the ranks of the fire demons. The ground sizzled with their fiery remains. Slade let out a low, hissing exhale.

“I’m going to kill that boy.”

“ _Dad_ …” whispered Dick, still holding back. The man’s stance was downright nerve racking.

“I swear it.”

“Well, you’re not allowed,” said Dick. He sighed. “I know he’s being an idiot and a jerk, but he’s not normally like that. Something’s bothering him.”

Slade did not look amused in the least. Dick smiled. The lull in the battle didn’t last and, together, they continued to fight. They didn’t speak for a number of minutes, countless fire demons destroyed in the process. Then, that overwhelming desire to prove himself to Slade once again rose inside Dick.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” whispered Dick. “This time, I’ll get you to notice me. And I’m gonna make you prouder than you’ve ever been.”

There was a pause; the response was just as soft.

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 8:59 am.**

The plan had been going well. They were actually winning, shockingly – not that Starfire ever imagined a defeat, but they were giving Trigon, the most feared being of not just her planet but countless others, an actual fight. Actually causing him pain was something of substance.

However, everything was going wrong now.

Trigon roared, the very sound of his voice ringing in every ear in the vicinity. Its waves sent those in flight to the ground. Joey, Beast Boy, and Starfire crashed into broken stones, rocks and debris shattering in all directions. Cyborg’s cannon was redirected, the blast throwing lava into the air. Splatterings of falling lava landed on nearby areas, causing those on foot – namely Cyborg and Rose – to dart around to avoid them. With a cry of fury, Rose slashed her arm forward. Power surged from the slice, blasting the falling lava apart. She raged at the beast, shouting every insult imaginable at Trigon, only to make their enemy even more furious.

Cyborg’s cannon wasn’t effective. Rose’s psychic powers weren’t effective. Joey’s levitation wasn’t effective. Beast Boy’s shape shifting wasn’t effective. Starfire’s strength and starbolts weren’t effective.

Their enemy seemed invincible to their attacks, even if he raged and roared in pain. No marks landed on him. Nothing was permanent. Even with Raven, Dick, and Slade at their sides, could they defeat such a being?

Starfire groaned in pain and sat up. Rose was a number of yards away, with Cyborg at her side. Joey was nowhere in sight. Beast Boy was nearby, having landed on his back, with his feet in the air. He moaned in pain, his legs flopping down in front of himself.

“Uncool. No powerups allowed,” said Beast Boy, slowly sitting up. He rubbed the back of his head, wincing in pain.

“ _You have the face only a mother can love!_ ” shouted Rose. She dodged, as Trigon sent a wave of lava after her. “ _And even then, I’d have to worry about her sanity!_ ”

Beast Boy snorted.

“Oh, yeah, make the giant demon who is already kicking our butts even madder. That’s just wonderful, Rose.”

“Shut up, kid!” snapped Rose, rushing to him and grabbing him by the arm. She pulled him to his feet, pushing him forward to fight again. “Rule of thumb, when you’re pissed off, you use less brain power.” She smirked. “Not that he has much to go on, anyway.”

 _“Language, Rose,”_ said Joey, giving her an admonishing look. Relief crossed Rose’s face as he walked up to the group. Cyborg fired his cannon again, catching Trigon and causing the beast to lose his balance.

Then, Rose looked affronted. “I didn’t swear.”

 _“Saying ‘pissed off’ isn’t very ladylike,”_ said Joey, although it appeared as if he’d had this conversation before.

“Since when was I a lady?”

Joey dropped his forehead to his hand.

Starfire smiled slightly, happy to have Rose among their number. The girl seemed to have this spontaneous way about her and it relieved a part in Starfire’s heart. However, even with the emotional relief being provided, there were still issues. Starfire glanced at their group, seeing the wounds they all obtained. It wasn’t much, but the scratches and cuts were just the beginning.

The earth trembled, just as Trigon stepped forward.

“What annoying little vermin,” hissed Trigon. “I know what you are trying to do and it will not work. You have failed in your puny little mission.”

Despair entered Starfire’s heart. The one thing they were supposed to do, the one thing they _needed_ to do for Dick and Slade to succeed – was it really true? Had they failed? Every one of them had wounds of some sort, while Trigon remained visibly unharmed. If they couldn’t do this, what would happen to Dick? Had they found Raven already? Was she all right? Were they still alive?

“Only death awaits those who enter my depths,” said Trigon, a waver of smugness entering his tone. His red eyes gleamed with satisfaction – as if he knew all the secrets of the world, as if he were only playing and teasing them, like a feline with its prey.

Starfire’s eyes burned with glowing green.

She flew into the air, her speed like a bullet. With a fury her heart had never before experienced the like, a starbolt formed in her hand. She threw it with all her might, putting every single feeling of her heart within its devastating light.

A second later, it met Trigon in the chest.

The sound was deafening. The roar rattled the ears. There was the sound of a large body crashing into the sizzling lake of lava. Trigon’s roar gurgled.

The anger fled from Starfire’s chest. She floated in the air, waiting and praying with her heart that she had truly caused great harm to their enemy.

Then, there was another raging roar; lava exploded, just as an enormous body burst forth from its depths.

And then, Starfire only knew fiery pain, which was immediately followed by blackness.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:13 am.**

We have got to get out of here,” said Dick, slicing through another fire demon. “This is getting ridiculous.”

“We might have to battle our way out of here,” said Slade, grunting beneath the weight of five fire demons. With a strong shove, he slashed them apart with a single swipe. “Trigon must be aware of our efforts now.”

“Well, I’m getting sick of this!” snapped Dick. He whirled around, slicing all the remaining fire demons in his area. “We gotta run for it. I’ll get Raven.”

With a nod, Slade battled with the other fire demons. They were rising faster than before, over and over again new demons formed out of the rocks, like an endless army of ants. Dick stabbed another fire demon. He grabbed Raven, her small arms wrapping around his neck, before he stood up and he raced forward, avoiding all attacks from the fire demons.

“Let’s go!” shouted Dick.

As Dick forged ahead, dodging attacks and holding onto Raven, Slade battled demons from behind. The man kept up with Dick; however, it seemed with every demon killed, four more would rise within their ranks. Dick barely made much distance along the pathway, when the number of fire demons became overwhelming – thus, he couldn’t avoid them any more.

The demons didn’t attack, but began to corner them. No matter how many Slade took down, he couldn’t keep up with the intense volume that poured out of the ground. They couldn’t plow their way through, especially with just the two of them.

Then, the air changed around the fire demons. It froze, it burned; it choked, it freed; it contrasted everything, yet most of all, it bore an element of darkness that had nothing to do with how much light was in a room.

The fire demons parted, forming a blank hole within their ranks. Something crawled up Dick’s spine, like a bug racing along his skin – it was slimy, it was dark, it was horror on his soul. Raven shivered, never stopping, in his arms. Then, black sludge pooled at the ground, slowly rising to shape another humanoid body. The sludge formed fingers, hands, arms, a body, legs, feet, before finally a head appeared at the top. Though it was completely black in nature, it glowed with the element of fire. Then, fiery veins slowly appeared through the black sludge.

“Dad,” said Dick, slowly drawing out the word. Slade didn’t move, alarm filling his grey blue eye. “What is that?”

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” whispered Slade.

Then, features formed in the head. Fiery eyes blazed open against the mimicking features of a face – yet it was far too chilling to be a true human. A wide frightening smile spread across its newly formed lips. Fire red fangs were displayed.

“Master won’t let you leave this place,” whispered the black fire demon, his tone wispy, yet the very nature of its sound when it entered the ears made all shiver. It smiled even wider, a sinister light flaring within its red eyes. “Your dear companions struggle for their souls.”

There wasn’t a human who didn’t shudder.

“Oh, that’s not creepy at all,” drawled Dick, his eyes widened. His heart pounded against his chest. All thoughts flew to his friends and lastly on Starfire.

_Please let them be all right. Someone, anyone, I beg of you, protect them._

He stepped backwards, only to meet the wall. Raven’s arms nearly choked him, they were so tight around his neck. He pried her off and lowered her to the ground. He pushed her behind himself, feeling her small hands clutching his hip.

“ _There’s no hope now,_ ” whispered Raven.

Well, this was just peachy. They had an army of semi-intelligent fire demons who were now just a little more annoying than the first – and now, it seemed, they had a leader of sorts; one who looked _much_ smarter than the others. They were trapped beneath the earth, a river of lava above them, and no possible way of really knowing where they were going. And, of course, mustn’t forget that Raven had now lost all hope, too.

Perfect situation right there, no doubt.

Dick swore off dark magic at that very moment – like he could actually use the stuff in the first place, but it was still the thought that counted, right?

The new black fire demon lifted his hands. Razor sharp nails extended instantly from his hand, to the length of six inches. He lunged forward; Dick drew his rapier again and rushed to meet him, without combining an attack with Slade. The demon slashed once, ribboning Dick’s rapier into pieces. Metal clattered to the ground.

“ _Dick!_ ”

Before the demon could slash Dick, much like his rapier, there was a loud mewl. That single, almost gentle sound, rose above the loud commotion of the fire demons, piercing all to the heart. The black fire demon froze, its unnatural eyes widening, before he turned his head towards the source.

Suddenly, a black streak darted through the fire demons, who parted the way for it, as if fearing to touch it.

The ground shook. Raven screamed. Dick pulled back, grabbing her and covering her head. Another body curled over his own, arms protecting his head. Rock and earth groaned. Dust flumed into the air. Then, the wall which they had been cornered to crumbled away, opening a new pathway.

Dick lost his balance and fell forward into the new cavern. Raven cried out as they rolled together. Before Dick could gain his balance again, Slade grabbed him by the arm, jerking him forward. Dick landed on his knees, with Raven still safe in his arms. Slade let out a low huffing exhale, before crouching on the ground. He left a supporting a hand on Dick’s back.

Then, there was a loud mewl, followed by a hiss.

Dick glanced up; his heart stopped at the sight.

The fallen rock had created an arching doorway. Outside, where they had been moments ago, hundreds upon hundreds of fire demons were gathered. Their leader was out of sight. A white layer of light shimmered like a barrier in between the fire demons and the little group. One fire demon reached forward; his fingers touched the barrier. It howled a second later, retracting his sizzling hand.

And all the while, one lone, tiny figure stood strong against the army.

Raven slipped out of Dick’s arms. She stood up and watched the fire demons, confusion on her young face. “How is this happening?” she whispered. “No one can stop Trigon’s power.”

But Dick couldn’t take his eyes off her – no, not Raven. He didn’t hear her young voice as she asked such an important question. All he could do was stare at the bundle of fur with bright blue eyes – eyes which nearly glowed with an unearthly light, which was now familiar, not unlike a pair of green eyes, which belonged to a strange young man in the underworld.

“Kuroi?” whispered Dick. She mewled pleasantly and padded up to him. His hand automatically lifted and she wormed her way beneath his hand, arching her little bottom into the air as his hand stroked her body. She was soft. She was warm. _She was alive_.

What on this devastated earth was she doing down here?

She pulled back, blinking her intelligent eyes at him. The loss was felt in Dick’s heart – he wanted to pet her more, to feel her soft, warm fur beneath his fingers. She was the first living thing, besides his friends and family, he had seen since the destruction of the world. And no, he wasn’t counting those crows.

But he didn’t have much time to think about it. Kuroi pulled back even more, blinking again. She turned around, her tail lifted high, before she glanced back at him.

Then, the kitten darted out of sight and rounded the corner.

“ _Kuroi!_ ”

And with that single shout, Dick bolted after her.

“Dick, no!”

But the cries of his father didn’t stop him. If Kuroi was alive – actually _alive_ , well and _breathing_ , unlike every other creature on the planet now – then nothing was going to stop him from getting to her.

Thus, no thoughts were given for the frantic father left behind.

Slade wanted nothing more than to vent his absolute frustration on something. That stupid boy! He was going to get himself killed! And not only that, he left Slade behind with the skittish Raven. He glanced over at the little girl. She looked at him. Slade blinked. Raven blinked back.

 _When this is all over, that blasted boy is going to be in so much trouble for the sheer number of heart failures he’s given me_.

Schooling his emotions, Slade knelt down and opened his arms in beckoning. Raven stepped back nervously.

“Come,” whispered Slade, keeping his tone gentle. “That silly boy is going to get hurt if we don’t catch up to him.”

The little girl watched him warily. Her soft eyes were filled with such suspicion for a seven year old. Though they still contained a glow of innocence, it was apparent she had already seen much in her young life.

_Just like Dick._

“Trust me, child,” whispered Slade.

For a moment, she didn’t move. Slade mentally counted to ten, hoping the girl would be faster than the depletion of his patience. Then, in the gentlest of moments, the little girl slowly took a step forward. Each step was taken with hesitation, her bright violet eyes warily watchful for any startling movement. None came. When she finally reached Slade, she gingerly put her arms around his neck. Slade wrapped his arms around her waist, noting her size.

 _So small_.

As Slade lifted her in his arms, standing up a moment later, he was struck with another note.

_Good grief, she weighs practically nothing!_

An unearthly scream sent shivers down Slade’s spine. Raven whimpered in his arms, tightening her own around his neck. Slade glanced back. The black fire demon, the one most dangerous of them all, raged at the white barrier. He hissed and spat at the door. He slashed his hands, trying to bring it down. When that didn’t work, he pointed to the surrounding rock of the doorway.

Before Slade could consider getting up, the fire demons had attacked the walls next to the doorway – only to find more white barrier. There was a scream of rage at this. It shrilled against the walls, making rock and stone tremble, as if the very Earth itself feared this creature. The echo was enough to stop the heart, for no creature sounded anything like it. If there was ever a time to feel fear, when Slade never felt such a thing – except in the case of losing loved ones – it was at that moment.

And yet, that white barrier protected them from such a being.

There was no more time to think about it. Slade quickly started down the path Dick had disappeared along. After a moment of being sure of the terrain, Slade broke into a run. He had only gone about ten to twenty feet, before the pathway twisted and opened to a high ceiling cavern. Dick stood in the middle, staring at something.

Slade took no notice at what stole the boy’s attention and instead ran to the boy’s side, before grabbing him by the shoulder and turning him. Dick wouldn’t move, however. Thus, Slade tried a different tactic.

“ _Idiot boy!_ ” shouted Slade. The girl in his arm shivered from his tone. He patted her on the back. “What do you think you’re doing, running off like that! You could’ve been killed— _what happened to always obeying me?!_ Do you not see what we’re up against?”

The boy wasn’t listening to him. Slade had an overwhelming desire to grab the boy by the shoulders and give him a good shake. Why wasn’t the boy listening to him— _blast it!_

But then, Slade took in the direction Dick was gazing in. He followed the line of sight, only to suck in his breath in surprise.

It was a woman – a woman was standing, _alive_ , in front of them. Her form shimmered, as if she weren’t fully solid. Yet, the kitten trotted right up to her without fear. The woman smiled and knelt down. Her hand brushed against the kitten’s back. She gazed upward at them, her green eyes dancing with warmth.

Dick’s expression was the most unsettling, however. He looked at the woman as if he were seeing the most welcomed sight of all. But it was the whispered response that threw Slade off balance _completely_.

“ _Mama._ ”

_What?!_

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on August 14th:** Chapter Thirty-One: Illuminating Agony – Betrayal. Loss. Blood. Death. Voice. Despair. Cruelty. Freak. Haunted. Helpless. When Trigon uses a new attack against the Titans, it leaves Starfire feeling an endless amount of despair. All was lost. They couldn't win. However, when Starfire sinks to her lowest, new allies enter the field, showing the remaining fighters they are never alone.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Yes, that's in two weeks, my friends! This chapter was a lot of fun. I can't help but laugh every time I hear Styx yells, "It's protocol!" *giggles* I enjoy him greatly. *nods* So, it looks like things are picking up. I always felt that some of the battle against Trigon in the TV show was a bit too easy. Granted, the fourth season is one of my favorites, including the ending. But endings need to be epic. ^^ Thus, the battle gets even more heavy as the two groups begin to rejoin.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, please don't forget leave a kudos and drop me a comment! Bless you all!
> 
> _Anthy_


	31. Illuminating Agony

**Chapter Thirty-One**

**Illuminating Agony**

 

“Koriand’r, get up.”

_What?_

“I have a surprise for you.”

_A surprise?_

Green eyes flickered open. For some reason, Starfire expected to feel pain. But there was none. Why? Shouldn’t there be pain? But why would she think that? Why must there be pain? There needn’t be any pain. Everything was well. Oh. Who was that voice? Something in Starfire’s heart pulled and tugged and begged and pleaded. But for what purpose? Something was missing. Something dear to her heart was missing. It was a name, wasn’t it? Someone had a name. That someone was dear. That someone was special. _But…_ What is dear? What is special? These terms, these words, Starfire didn’t know.

She couldn’t remember.

Starfire noticed light around her. She sat up, looking around at her surroundings. She was home. This was Tamaran. It was grey. There was no color. Shouldn’t there be color? What was color?

A hand grabbed her by the arm.

“Get up.”

Starfire allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Once standing, she looked up. It was her sister, _Blackfire_.

Emotions poured through Starfire’s soul. They were numerous, they were so conflicting, she couldn’t understand what it all meant. She wanted to reach out to her sister, every element of her soul thrilled to see Blackfire _alive_. Why would that be wonderful? Why would that bring her joy? What was so important about being alive? Why, at the very same time of these glowing emotions, did fear and trepidation crawl upward, poisoning and tainting them?

“Sister, you are alive,” whispered Starfire, smiling at her. How foolish. There was no reason to feel fear. There was no reason not to trust her sister. Blackfire was the one who protected her as a child. Blackfire had been her companion as a child.

There was no reason to trust fear and doubt.

Dark grey eyes glimmered with the shadows.

“I have a surprise for you, my dear sister,” said Blackfire, an element of mocking in her tone. Starfire ignored this. Her sister always said cruel things. It was simply who Blackfire was and Starfire accepted it. Her hair was black, thus her name. Her eyes were grey. Were they always grey?

“A surprise?”

A dark smile lifted Blackfire’s face.

“Oh, yes. A _surprise_.”

ooOOOOOoo

“Garfield.”

_Huh?_

“I have some bad news, son.”

_Son?_

Beast Boy opened his eyes. Grey entered his vision. He was lying down. Shouldn’t he be hurting? He had landed on his butt, hadn’t he? Why was everything grey? That’s not cool. Green was a much better color. He turned his head. There was a man standing beside his bed. Why was he there? Beast Boy knew this man. No, he didn’t like this man.

_Wait a minute…_

“I’m sorry to say that your parents have died in a boating accident,” said the man. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Beast Boy laid there on the bed. The man didn’t sound sorry. He didn’t even sound sad. They were just words he was forced to repeat, weren’t they? They were required. They were polite. But they weren’t polite. They weren’t needed. They were useless. Being sorry wasn’t going to bring them back. His parents were gone. Beast Boy wanted them back. Garfield wanted his Mom and Dad back.

Dark grey eyes glimmered with the shadows.

There were something missing. Beast Boy knew it. There weren’t supposed to be beds here. Where was the lava? Where were the rocks? Where was the monster? There was a monster, wasn’t there?

The man smiled. Beast Boy wanted to crawl beneath the covers.

“You remember me, don’t you, son? I was a friend of your parents. They assigned me guardianship in the case anything should happen to them.”

_Don’t call me son._

Beast Boy nodded. He knew this man. He didn’t like this man. His name made his skin crawl. He wanted to burrow beneath the covers. He wanted to change. Why couldn’t he change? He wanted freedom. He wanted flight. He could fly. But humans couldn’t fly.

He didn’t like this man. No, he _hated_ him with every cell and section of his soul. This man only liked money. He only wanted money. He did everything in his power to gain more money.

“Yeah, I know you, Mr. Galtry.”

_You’re the one who killed my parents._

ooOOOOOoo

“Victor.”

_What?_

“Victor, please wake up. _Please_.”

_I haven’t been called that for years. What’s going on?_

Bright light shone. Cyborg opened his eyes. One eye felt strange. The other eye felt normal. One eye viewed the world in grey. There was so much grey. That wasn’t normal. That was weird. His other eye displayed the world in red. Blood red.

_So much blood._

_Mom…_

_So much blood. So much blood. So much blood. No, no, no, no, no, don’t leave me. Mom, stay alive. You’ll make it. We’ll get help. Hold on. I’ll save you. I can do it. Don’t die, Mom!_

“Oh, Victor… You’re _alive!_ ”

Cyborg turned his head. His heart iced over. He didn’t know why. Why would he have that reaction to his father? It was Dad. His father would help his mother. Dad would save Mom. Everything would be okay now. He’ll stop the blood. He’ll patch Mom up. He’ll protect them. He’ll save them.

_Blood, blood, blood, so much, so much, blood, blood, blood._

_Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop. No more._

_No more!_

Cyborg moved his arm. It felt different. It didn’t feel any more. Something was missing. He wasn’t himself. Where was the pain? Where was the color? Where was his mother? Where was _Mom?_

Dark grey eyes glimmered with the shadows.

“Now, Victor, you might see some changes, but it was the only way to save you,” said his father. He was smiling. He looked so happy. No, he was proud. Like he had won a grand prize.

Cyborg lifted his arm. Color entered his vision. It was the only color that existed. Blue, white, steel grey, and dark chocolate entered his view. There wasn’t enough of that color. Why were blue, white, and steel grey ruining his skin color? That wasn’t normal. It was supposed to be from the tips of his fingers, all the way upward over his arm.

“Unfortunately, very little of your actual body remains, except for some important vitals. Other than that, you are now fitted with mainly prosthesis.”

His father looked so happy, so pleased with him, as if he had done Victor the best favor in the world.

Cyborg lifted his other arm. It was the same as the other one. He detested it.

“I also fitted you with multiple weapons technology. You’re a fighting machine now!”

The man was beaming. Like he had won the top lottery.

_Machine. Machine. Machine. Machine. Machine._

_Not human. Not human. Not human._

_Not normal. Not normal._

ooOOOOOoo

“Sarah Rose.”

_It’s Rose, ya idjit! Dang it, why does no one get that?!_

“Rosey, what you doin’?”

_Oi, that’s not much better._

“What you doin’ on the floor?”

_I’m on the floor? I thought I was fighting._

Wait. Fighting? Why would she be fighting? Rose opened her eyes. It wasn’t normal. Why was there no color? It was all grey. Everything. Light grey. Dark grey. White. Black. Why was she thing only one in color? What happen to the color? Where did it go? There was one color Rose knew well. She remembered it. Her vision had seen through it for over nine years. Everything had been tinted with that one color. Her soul had been torn through it.

_Red. Red. Red. Red. Red._

_Blood. Blood. It was the color of blood._

Rose bolted upward, gasping. She glanced around, desperately trying to remember. Without a doubt, something was wrong. She knew it. She knew it without a doubt. But she didn’t know what it was. Then, she gasped again, clutching at her chest.

A little girl stood in front of her. She had short grey hair. It was bobbed and it framed her young, slightly pudgy face. Yet, the child wasn’t overweight at all.

She was familiar.

She was supposed to be dead.

“Ashley?” whispered Rose, staring at the grey eyes of the little girl. Ashley smiled.

“You’re weird. Why you on the floor?”

_On the floor?_

Rose pushed herself up and stood on her feet. She towered over the little girl. Yet Ashley didn’t seem to think this was odd or strange or different or something which shouldn’t be happening. No, Ashley took Rose by the hand. The touch was cold. It wasn’t warm.

“Happy Birthday, Rose,” said Ashley, smiling brightly through the sea of grey on her face.

_No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no – NO!_

There was no happy. There was no birthday. This was the worst day of Rose’s life. This was the day her soul died. No, she didn’t want to relive this. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. This was fake. This was an illusion. Someone was messing with her head, she knew it. She only had to break out. There was a way. It was possible. She could do it. She could free herself of this colorless, terrible world.

_It wasn’t real._

Dark grey eyes glimmered with the shadows.

“Make a wish, Rose.”

ooOOOOOoo

“Joseph.”

_Who?_

“Little Joseph Wilson. Son of Slade Wilson. Son of _Deathstroke_.”

The voice giggled darkly, a sound so odd in the voice of an adult male.

A chill shivered through Joey’s body. He opened his eyes. Everything was grey, from the ceiling to the floor, from skin tone to clothing color – everything was colorless. Except for himself. But that didn’t bother Joey. He already knew something was wrong. Why? He knew this man. Joey knew this wasn’t real. This man couldn’t be standing over him like this.

This man was dead and by his father’s hands.

“Jackal,” whispered Joey. His voice was clear and unmarred. There was no power in it. It wasn’t young, as it should be, if this were real. Thus, it wasn’t real. He wasn’t eleven any more. He wasn’t a child. He’d been through too much. He wasn’t afraid. He had spent years and years struggling. This wasn’t frightening.

Steel gleamed in the light. A knife twirled within the man’s hand.

“Will your father show up?” asked Jackal, his smile widening.

_This is just a dream._

“Will he save you?”

 _This will all be over soon_.

“You know, I’ve always hated your father,” said Jackal, his colorless eyes narrowing. “He was always so arrogant about everything, like he was invincible. Well, today is the day I take everything away from him.”

_Ignore him. Just ignore him._

“Did you happen to see what I did to Grant?” whispered Jackal. “I did the neighborly thing and sent him back in a box. I have a picture, if you’d like to see. I’m afraid there won’t be anything left of dear little Sarah Rose. I was a little heavy with the explosives.”

Dark grey eyes glimmered with the shadows.

_She hates her given name. She insists on just Rose. She’s crazy, but I love her._

The knife laced over Joey’s skin, the edge of the blade teasing his Adam’s apple. A sting glanced over his skin; a bead of blood streamed down the edge of the blade. But this wasn’t real. It shouldn’t be hurting. Why could Joey feel the sting of the blade?

“I’ll cut you up, one piece at a time, little Joseph,” whispered Jackal. “Just like I did to your dear brother.”

The man held up a photograph.

A tear slipped down Joey’s cheek.

_Oh, Grant._

ooOOOOOoo

“But, Sister, I do not understand. Where are you taking me?” asked Starfire. She didn’t stop Blackfire from pulling her along. Something told her she should fight, but that was silly. She trusted Blackfire. This was her sister. Yet she was lost. Why was she lost? This was Blackfire. She wouldn’t be lost.

“Oh, Starfire, it’s a surprise. You’ll just have to find out,” said Blackfire, her smile wide and filled with an element that sent strange, unusual shivers down Starfire’s back. Starfire frowned, unable to understand nor recognize such an emotion in her sister’s face.

“Okay,” whispered Starfire. She followed in silence. The scenery around her was blurry and out of focus. There was nothing solid for her eyes to set upon. The hand which held her tightly felt cold and shapeless. That wasn’t right. Hands were supposed to be warm.

In fact, Starfire felt as if she should know more warmth. Wasn’t it supposed to be hot now? The air was clear. It wasn’t like that before.

What was before?

What is now?

Worry and panic drew through Starfire’s heart, yet she couldn’t place where they came from. A flash of red overwhelmed her senses. She had been in a place of red. In a place of color. She had been in a place… of…

 _Death_.

What? What is that? Why couldn’t she remember? She was missing something, wasn’t she? There were pieces that she was missing, that had to be it. Her land wasn’t grey. Her world wasn’t colorless. Her sister wasn’t colorless. There was more to that. There was a world of color. She was missing that.

A smile broke through Starfire’s thoughts.

It was a boy. He looked familiar. His eyes weren’t covered. Why would they be covered? Usually they were covered, weren’t they? Crystal blue eyes shone brilliantly through a young face. He was happy. His smile showed that. He was laughing. Why was he laughing? Where was he? Why did her heart long for him? Why did she desire to hug this boy, to hold him in her arms? Why did she love him?

What is love?

Blackfire would know. Her sister would know. Blackfire would give her the answers. Wouldn’t she? Yes, she had to give answers.

Starfire’s heart recoiled.

Despair entered there.

Something was wrong; something was _terribly_ wrong.

Blackfire turned, her face afire with a sinister smile. It glowed through the grey, through the colorless eyes, through the colorless skin, through the monochromatic clothing – and it was then Starfire realized what was going on. Everything came back to her heart and mind with a startling clarity.

It was a memory.

_It had to be._

_Dick, where are you? Please be okay! I shall never leave you!_

ooOOOOOoo

Tears streamed down his face. Words flowed through his memories. He was in trouble. He’d been bad. He had disobeyed. He brought displeasure. He wasn’t good enough. He would never be part of the team. He was alone. He wasn’t loved. No one would love him again.

_Obey orders._

_Do as you’re told._

_You’ll never learn._

_Why can’t you ever listen?_

_Why can’t you obey a simple order?_

_You’ll never be part of this team._

_You’re a disappointment._

Cruel words hurt more than any punishment. They wounded the tender soul. Beast Boy sobbed into his knees. There was no one to comfort him now. Mento would never allow him in the team now. He messed up too much. Mento would never love him like a son. He would never hug him. He would always be harsh.

Maybe if Beast Boy did better, then he would be worthy of the man’s love.

Something tugged at his heart.

Something wasn’t right.

Love wasn’t earned. Somehow, Beast Boy knew this. He didn’t have to earn Mento’s love. He was good enough. He’d always been good enough. He had been loved and he was loved, even now. A friend told him this. A friend told him of his value. This friend was a brother, even without having the same parents. There were others. They were a family.

Beast Boy stopped crying. He lifted his head from his knees. He was sitting on his bed – but that didn’t make sense. His bed had been destroyed. Some monster was sitting his oversized butt in it. He’d never get the smell out of his stuff. He wanted nothing more than to kick that oversized butt to kingdom come.

Red flashed over the sea of dark grey. That’s right. There was a colorful world out there. There were people out there. There were friends out there. Blue, brown, red, green, black, violet.

Violet eyes smiled at him. But the girl who bore them never smiled. She was always sad, wasn’t she? She never laughed. She never smiled. She always looked in the distance, as if counting the days, as if counting the days until the end came. She knew them. She numbered them.

Beast Boy wanted to save her. He cared about her. She was a special friend. She was more.

Yet, all he could hear of her were her screams as the end of the world destroyed her body.

ooOOOOOoo

_Why is he smiling? How can he be smiling around that man?_

_Why are we in his kitchen? Why aren’t we taking this jerk down right now? What is this, a tea party? Robin’s been missing for like six months. Why is Robin stalling? He looks so different. His hair isn’t the same. Why isn’t he wearing the mask? He looks like a kid, like an everyday teenager. Was he normal underneath that uniform? But none of us are normal._

_We’re all freaks._

_That’s what makes us great._

_That’s why we get along._

_If we weren’t freaks, we wouldn’t get along. We’re too different. Too many differences. Too many cultures. Too many languages. Too many races. Too many skin colors. We could never get along. We could never understand each other. But we’re different in the same way. So it works._

_It’s our connection._

Jealousy ravaged his heart. Robin was smiling around that man. He was looking to him, like a child or a teen would to their parent. It was weird. It was wrong. There had to be something more. Cyborg knew it. Slade must’ve done something. Brainwashed him. Lied to him. Changed him.

No one can change.

The heart can’t soften.

Evil was evil. Good was good.

They never crossed paths. There was no grey area. People wanted things. They sacrificed good for their own selfish desires. Cyborg was the product of that. He had personal experience with it. He only wanted to protect Robin. His friend was delusional. He couldn’t see what Cyborg saw.

_You could join the army now. You could be a great asset to them._

Slade was evil. He couldn’t be good. He couldn’t change. He couldn’t learn. He was the same as before. He was tricking Robin. Robin needed to know that. He needed to awaken. Then, everything could go back to normal. They were freaks. They didn’t change. They would always be the same.

_Think of all the things you can do, simply because you have weapons installed in your arms. It’s amazing!_

He couldn’t grow. He couldn’t change. He couldn’t learn. He couldn’t get stronger. He couldn’t get weaker. He was the same. He would be the same tomorrow and the day after that. Nothing would ever change.

_You’re my son and I made you._

It was an endless cycle.

It was an endless cycle

_You have to do what I say._

Why couldn’t he grow? Why couldn’t he change? Why couldn’t he learn? Why couldn’t he get stronger? Why was he the same? Why would he be the same tomorrow and the day after that? Why wouldn’t anything ever change?

It wasn’t fair. He wanted more. He wanted life. He didn’t want Cyborg. He wanted to be free from the metal, from the electronics. He didn’t want to be the machine. He was incomplete. He was broken. Victor Stone was gone. Only Cyborg remained.

Jealousy remained. Why could Robin change? Who was Dick? Had he always been there? Why did he hide? Why did they all hide? Were they always freaks? No, they had once been normal. What was normal? Why couldn’t they be normal now?

_You have no choice. Obey me._

It wasn’t fair.

There were no tears; his systems didn’t compute.

ooOOOOOoo

Rose raged.

Rose thrashed.

Rose screamed.

She was lost. She couldn’t find her way. She was locked in a world that wasn’t her own. Someone had control over her body. It was herself. Yet it wasn’t herself. The world was red. So much red. There were no other colors. They were tainted. They were hidden.

She was haunted.

Her own soul hated her. It wouldn’t let her back in. It wouldn’t let her leave. She just wanted to be free. But her soul wouldn’t allow it. Trapped. She was trapped.

So, she screamed.

Explosions blasted around her. Screams tore through the air. Life was snuffed out. So many lives disappeared, like the tip of smoke within the billowing flames. Pain lavished over Rose. She screamed and screamed and screamed, only to cry and cry and cry.

Everything was gone. Her friends were gone. They died. They were dead. They wouldn’t come back. She killed them. It was her fault. She didn’t know why. She just knew it was her fault.

She was the only one who didn’t die, after all.

She wasn’t normal. Her soul knew it. It was in agony. She wanted to help it, but she was powerless to do anything for it. She couldn’t ease the pain. She couldn’t reattach her soul, like the reattaching of a shadow. She couldn’t sew. There was no thimble. There was no kiss. There was only the kiss of death. So much death. All around her. So many screams.

Rose curled into a ball, hunching over her knees. Her arms wrapped around her chest. They were in the way. She didn’t used to have them. When she died for the first time, there was nothing there. No, she was more now. She was power. She had a gift. She had more. She could tear apart her enemies now.

Rose opened her eyes. The fiery world was grey. Nothing was in color. The world didn’t smell of flames. The world didn’t burn.

_It wasn’t real._

_She had the power to change things now._

ooOOOOOoo

His mother sat at the table, empty bottles and empty cigarette packs littering its surface. She sat hunched over, her hands drawing through her unwashed and tangled hair. Sometimes, when she thought no one was looking, she would break down and sob hysterically.

Joey always knew.

His little sister sat on her bed. Dolls lay torn apart, scattered across the floor like a macabre plastic version of the aftermath on a battlefield. Plastic arms, plastic legs, and plastic heads were underfoot. Stuffing was scattered over the bed. His sister was hugging a large teddy bear, its head completely torn off. Her red eyes shone brightly through the darkness.

Joey couldn’t do anything.

He was weak. He was the man of the house. He was fatherless. He was motherless. He was lost. He had to do something. He had to save them. What could he do? He had no one to guide him. He had no one he could rely on. He was alone. He was broken. He was helpless. He was worthless.

Joey couldn’t speak.

It was gone. His voice wouldn’t come out. It was locked away. He couldn’t make a sound. While his mother sobbed, while his sister raged, while his brother’s blood cried from the dead, he was silent.

He couldn’t do anything about it. He could only watch.

Yet, this world was grey. Joey’s world, though voiceless, wasn’t colorless.

And Joey knew. This was all in his mind. It was in his control. He wasn’t helpless any more. He had gained power. His voice had poured forth. Where it once was silent, now it could be heard hundreds, even thousands of feet away. His voice could touch the hearts of many. His softness was power. He could dissuade anyone from arguing and fighting. He could rally his allies and boost their confidence.

He could fly.

He wasn’t helpless. He became something more. He was needed. His leadership was needed. The world had fallen. It needed someone to save it. He was alive for a reason.

_Truth would be revealed._

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:23 am.**

Starfire gasped. Pain raced through her limbs and she found herself welcoming it with all her heart. The terrible smell of the air assaulted her senses; she put a hand over her mouth and nose, her watery eyes scrunching together. The atmosphere was unbearably hot and yet, once again, the sweat on her skin, the dirt on her clothes, the color within her eyes – everything was most assuredly _welcomed_.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, the memories fresh and painful as they once were. Her sister had betrayed her. Her sister had sold her away, like a object to auctioned off to the highest bidder. It was only afterward, when Starfire learned her parents died of broken hearts. At the time, Starfire had been confused and unable to truly understand what was going on. But then, once the pain cleared, once she knew exactly what her fate meant, she fought with every energy of her soul.

She would not allow her sister to win.

Just like she won’t let Trigon win.

Her body ached, but Starfire still pushed onward. Her head rolled to the right, as she slowly pushed herself to the side. She turned onto her stomach and lifted to her knees. Her hair was limp and stringy, matted with dirt and grime. It stuck to her face. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and pulled the stray strands out of her face. Her makeshift hair band had become loose.

Starfire looked out across the horizon. It was the same as before; they hadn’t won the battle yet. The others were sprawled on the ground nearby. Cyborg and Rose were moaning in agony, but they didn’t move. Beast Boy whimpered softly, while Joey moved slightly, as if trying to break free.

Across the fiery sea of lava, which was once a lively deep blue, Trigon sat upon his throne: their beloved tower, their beloved home. The front had been smashed in, making the exact dent for the beast to position his leathery hide.

He cracked an eye open. He smirked at Starfire. Then, when he closed his eyes, Starfire knew the message he silently sent her – and it stabbed her heart, loosening all emotion within her soul.

Starfire got to her feet. She rushed to Beast Boy’s side, as he was the closest one to her. She dropped to her knees and shook Beast Boy by the shoulders – but he didn’t wake. Sweat and dirt covered his skin. His eyebrows were furrowed in his sleep. Gentle, pained whimpers faintly whispered from his lips.

And then, Starfire became horribly aware of just how young Beast Boy was – and how young they _all_ were. In the trapped sleep the boy was under, she could see the youth in his face. He was so young, a child even – the rest of them were older than him. She hadn’t noticed it before. When did they ever think such things? She was fifteen. Beast Boy was thirteen. Dick was fifteen. Raven was sixteen. Cyborg was the eldest at seventeen, nearly eighteen.

They weren’t even adults, not even to the standards of her home.

Even the most powerful and the most wise of all the warriors who had ever lived upon her planet, not even such could overthrow this demon.

All the strength left Starfire’s body. She hunched over, her hands digging into the dirt. Her head bowed deeply. Her shoulders shook with her sobs; the tears streamed through the grime on her face. Finally, she sat back on her heels and dropped her face into her hands. Her sobs became painfully audible.

Thoughts raced through her mind. Her strength slackened. With every muscle that lived and breathed her power, they now were weaker than a brittle branch. She had once vowed never to be weak like this, to never allow her emotions to weaken her to this point. After her sister had betrayed her, she never wanted to lose her strength, the very element that was her essence.

And yet, here she was, groveling in the dirt, her soul pleading, begging for something to change – for something, _anything_ to give her a piece of hope, to promise her efforts would not be in vain, that everyone will survive this, that somehow, _someway_ , everything would rise above the terrible depth of despair her heart bore.

_Dick, can I do this without you? Can I get up? Can I try again? Do I have that strength, that power you have?_

_I want it._

_But I am tired. I am weak. And so are our friends._

_Is it over?_

Something touched Starfire’s shoulder.

It was a glancing touch, but it was real. Starfire’s sobs stopped; her head jerked upward and turned towards the touch. There was nothing on her shoulder. Her eyes lifted upward, trying to see if someone stood over her. Yet, still, she couldn’t see anything. Her head whipped around, searching for the one who had touched her.

Something else touched her other shoulder.

She should’ve been afraid. She should’ve been nervous, alarmed, worried – something had touched her, not once, but twice now and yet there was nothing there. But within her heart, a peace had entered with overwhelming warmth which flowed through her body – all from those gentle, loving touches.

A glimmer of light shimmered. Starfire stared at the space next to her right shoulder, the side which felt weighted by this touch. The light shimmered like a specter, its shaped that of a human. At first, there were no defining features. Then, it felt as if something had lifted from Starfire’s eyes, like a barrier had fallen.

The specter held no color, but was shimmering white. But Starfire recognized those features – those features which blended with another to form two sisters and one brother. The woman lifted a finger, placing it over her lips. Her eyes were soft, filled with an overpowering love.

“ _Mother?_ ” whispered Starfire. The woman smiled. Her eyes glanced to Starfire’s side. This directed Starfire to turn her head. Another specter stood at her side, his hand resting on her other shoulder, just like the woman. A mustache blanketed his upper lip, which lifted in a tender smile. “ _Father?_ ”

Both parents looked out at the fallen group. Starfire looked forward and nearly gasped in surprise as two other specters had knelt down in front of Beast Boy. These two Starfire hadn’t seen before in her life, but somehow the woman’s gentle features and the man’s mischievous flare reminded her so much of the young boy who laid on the ground in front of her.

Then, there were more.

One knelt beside Joey, a boy who vaguely reminded Starfire of Dick with his bright eyes and impish smile.

Many smaller, shorter specters gathered around Rose, their young faces bearing both innocence and wisdom.

One knelt beside Cyborg, a woman who tenderly looked down at the young man with both pride and sorrow in her eyes.

All of them glanced at Starfire and lifted fingers to their lips. Their eyes spoke of knowledge. The boy next to Joey at her winked playfully. Starfire wanted so much to hear their voices, to hear what they had to say, to hear of their wisdom, of their love – and she wanted her friends to hear them, too. However, they remained still and silent. Then, they each placed hands on the pained sleeping others.

The woman cupped Cyborg’s metal cheek.

The boy touched Joey’s forehead.

The children all placed hands on Rose’s face and shoulders.

The mother touched Beast Boy’s hand, while the father touched his arm.

Starfire felt squeezes from both her mother and father.

Power surged through the air. It took Starfire’s breath away, yet not an element of the earth changed from its wave. The four sleeping Titans opened their eyes. There was only a few seconds from that moment to the moment where every specter disappeared. The weight on Starfire’s shoulders faded with the others. However, not one had faded until their chosen one had caught a glimpse of them.

Joey sat up first, bolting upward and staring at the vanishing wisp of shimmering light that was the boy who looked a little like Dick. There was a choking sob from Rose as her eyes darted from each fading figure. Beast Boy stared at the smiling pair beside him.

Cyborg murmured, as the light faded away, her loving expression the last thing to be seen, “ _Mom?_ ”

Then, their visitors were gone. The weight of their departure bore heavy on Starfire’s chest. She felt emotionally drained, and yet the warmth and light they had brought with still burned inside her heart – as if someone had taken her by the hand and lifted her out of the darkness.

“What just happened?” whispered Beast Boy. His eyes were wide, tears leaking from the corners. He looked up at Starfire with pure yearning to know and understand. But Starfire could only shake her head.

“I do not know,” whispered Starfire in response, her voice unable to lift too high above the permeating silence. She helped the boy sit up and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He leaned against her side as she carded fingers through his dirty hair. She didn’t mind.

“That was Grant,” whispered Joey, his voice clear of power. “He was here. He was standing right there. But…”

Rose shuddered, before she rolled onto her side, curling her legs to her chest as she hid her face in her hands. She cried softly. She didn’t react when Joey dragged himself to her side and placed a hand onto her back. Cyborg stayed silent as he sat up. His expression contorted for a moment, as if in agony, before he visibly forced an impassiveness to cover it. He looked down; his hands were clenched.

_Those people…_

They had been loved ones to her friends, hadn’t they? The ones that had been lost… weren’t they? Obviously, Starfire knew of her parents. The two who had knelt beside Beast Boy must have been his parents as well. The woman who had touched Cyborg’s cheek, she looked like his mother.

_As for the others…_

Starfire knew little about her friends and their pasts. But it was apparent that their visitors had special meaning to each. They were the loved ones who had been lost. At young ages, they all had experienced loss. So, they had come from a reason. For something that should have been impossible – the dead appearing among the living – then, there must have been a great purpose in their coming to overcome that impossible.

Had they saved them from the despair?

Did that mean there was hope?

_Could they win?_

Hadn’t they come when all had been lost? Hadn’t they come when Starfire had given up? Hadn’t they come when all her strength had disappeared? Did that not mean there was still something to save?

They could defeat Trigon.

“We must fight,” said Starfire. She squeezed Beast Boy against her side. “They came to help us. They did not want us to give up.”

Cyborg’s face contorted. Pain entered his human eye. His jaw clenched. Beast Boy looked up at her, a glimmer of hope filling his eyes. Rose’s cries softened, until they stilled. Joey swallowed once, fear, yet new determination entering his expression.

“It means we can win,” whispered Starfire. “It means we have a chance at more than simply surviving. _We can win_.”

A dark chuckle rumbled against the surface of the land. As the group looked towards its source, a trickle of fear slid through Starfire’s heart. But she forced it down and faced their enemy. Trigon did not move from his stolen throne.

“Your efforts to overcome are quite entertaining,” said Trigon, his deep voice vibrating the very elements of the earth. “I am impressed you broke from my power, even with help from the other side.”

Those red eyes glowed.

“But even with them, you are nothing,” whispered Trigon; his voice pierced all hearts who heard his words. “You are weak. You are powerless. You cannot win against me. However… If you insist on giving me a battle, I have a much better, far more entertaining idea.”

Trigon lifted an enormous hand, his palm facing upward. At the tips of his fingers, black lightning crackled into life. The black power formed erratically until a small sphere gathered together. Then, it shattered into five pieces and shot towards the group.

“Come forth, my servants.”

 _Pain_.

It was beyond anything Starfire had ever felt in her life. It overpowered her senses. It was too much – every little detail of her physical body screamed in the unrelenting pain, as if a raging fire had been lit in her veins.

Then, the pain exploded. Something crawled from her head, the pain making her dizzy and lightheaded. There was no torn flesh, nor was blood spilt, yet Starfire wanted nothing more than the pain to stop.

Finally, the pain climaxed – Starfire cried out as she was thrown to the side. A connection broke; something disappeared. The void was noticeable, yet Starfire still felt connected to it. She moaned, her head rolling limply. She forced herself up, when she saw the same thing had happened to Beast Boy and Cyborg.

However, for Rose and Joey, they still screamed in pain.

It seemed like an eternity, before Rose and Joey collapsed, the silence of their voices leaving an ominous imprint. Starfire tried to call out to them, but her throat burned. As Beast Boy and Cyborg stirred, a new enemy appeared in front of them.

And Starfire could only pray their lost loved ones knew of this possibility when they put their faith in them.

Standing in a group of three were the grey versions of their own selves. Grey bodies, grey clothes, grey down to their very skin, they held themselves with confidence. They were duplicates, yet they were not the same. Terrible, _horrible_ red eyes shone with malevolence.

Trigon laughed deeply. “You are your own worst enemies,” he said, his tone filled with dark amusement. “Who better to fight, hm? Can you overcome your own selves, your own dark secrets, your own weaknesses?” He glanced at the fallen, unconscious figures of Rose and Joey. His eyes narrowed.

Dark Cyborg smirked. “Raven wasn’t the only one with a bad side.”

“Getting rid of you will be so easy,” said Dark Beast Boy, grinning slyly. “You are the _weaker_ side, after all.”

“No one will help you now,” said Dark Starfire, striding forward. She stopped a foot in front of Starfire. “And when we’re done with you, we’ll tear your other friends apart, _limb from limb_.”

Starfire’s breath caught in her throat.

“You once said that, didn’t you?” whispered Dark Starfire, leaning closer, her voice lacing outward in a seductive hiss. “Are you _really_ sure you’ve been working beneath _righteous fury?_ ”

Glowing red eyes glimmered with the shadows.

ooOOOOOoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on August 28th, Friday:** Chapter Thirty-Two: Flock of Archangels – At the arrival of Mary, Slade thinks he’s hallucinating, while Dick knows exactly who and what she is: a heaven sent help and a much needed one at that. However, both Slade and Dick find out that she’s not the only one to visit. Dear Slade might just have his first heart attack – good thing he’s immortal.
> 
>  **Author’s Notes:** Okay, I’m doing the update every two weeks thing – at least for the next post. *laughs weakly* The monthly posting, while less stressful, was really dragging on for me. I can only imagine what it did to you, my dear readers. So, I’m trying the two week posting thing. We’ll see how it goes. ^^ Thank you so much for the lovely comments and kudos, you are wonderful! Lots of love to you all! ^^


	32. Flock of Archangels

**Chapter** **Thirty-Two** ** **

**Flock of Archangels**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:27 am.**

She was here.

_Mama’s here._

She was actually here, standing there – just as she had almost exactly three months ago, appearing from the dead yet again. Relief poured through Dick. Everything was going to be all right now. His mother was here, so there had to be a way to defeat Trigon. There was hope for Raven. There was hope for all of them. She wouldn’t come without reason, right? She had something important to tell them, didn’t she?

Dick stepped forward, intent on getting as close to his mother as he could.

That is, if it were not the strong hand on his shoulder. Slade’s hand squeezed dangerously, as if both trying to hold Dick back and ground himself as well. He held tight onto the little girl in his arms. Slade stared at Mary, his expression gauging whether or not she were a danger to them.

“Dad,” whispered Dick, putting a hand over the much larger one. “It’s okay.”

Slade only shook his head, his eye wide with severe alarm.

“ _Dad_.”

“I am assuming we are having the same hallucination, then, if you can see her,” said Slade, not once taking his eye off Mary. She only stood there, smiling softly at the two of them. Her green eyes twinkled with amusement; she was, apparently, waiting for the shock to fade.

“She’s not a hallucination.”

“Oh, yes, she is,” hissed Slade; his chest heaved a moment later. “Trigon is messing with your head – as well as mine.” His hand withdrew for a moment and pressed against his forehead. “Oh, I don’t need this right now. I definitely do _not_ need this right now.”

“But, Dad, she’s real, seriously,” said Dick, more insistently. Slade’s hand clamped back down on his shoulder. “If you would just—”

Suddenly, Slade jerked him back. Dick fell back a few steps, nearly losing his balance. The man was alert with alarm. Dick glanced back at his mother, seeing why Slade had pulled him back. Mary Grayson had stepped forward, her small strides sure and set, the kitten trailing after her with her tail high.

“Dad,” whispered Dick. Slade shook his head, more vigorously now. Dick turned to Mary, his eyes pleading for her help. She only smiled and came to stand in front of Slade. She observed Slade for a moment, who was looking more tense by the minute. Dick put a hand onto the man’s arm. “Dad, this is Mama. I know you think she’s not real, but you’ve gotta believe me, she’s the real thing. Honestly, Dad, she doesn’t bite.”

A prominent Adam’s apple bobbed once.

Maybe Dick should’ve reworded his previous statement.

“Do you have any idea how frustrating you are?” demanded Mary, glaring at Slade with a fierce expression. Slade’s eyebrows bolted upward, while Dick flinched, taking a worried step backwards. Raven turned around in Slade’s arms, her violet eyes wide with curiosity.

The woman would not be silenced now.

“You are impossible!” cried Mary, poking at Slade’s chest. If she had been solid, Dick had no doubt she would’ve poked as hard as she could. “Do you have any idea how long I worked on you? Long, _long_ hours, I’ll have you know. You are the most stubborn man I have ever met. Truly, what was so hard about understanding a wonderful, brilliant thought? _Hm?_ Do you know how many times I tried to get you to understand?”

Well, poor Slade looked thoroughly confused.

Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to defend himself against whatever accusation she was laying on him, as the woman continued at a steady pace.

“For a moment there, I was actually worried about Dick’s future,” said Mary, huffing and taking no note of the confused parties. She motioned wildly with her hands. “How difficult is it to get one simple concept? _Adopt the boy!_ How hard was that to understand? _Hm?_ Blessed day you have a brain – albeit a slow one – or else we’d never get to good ground.”

It was almost comical. The small woman barely came up to the man’s chest level, much like Dick’s height, and yet Slade cringed away from her like some chastised school boy.

Then, it appeared as if Slade had an epiphany.

“That was you?” demanded Slade, inhaling sharply. “I thought something weird was going on with my mind.”

Dick glanced between them, having absolutely _no_ idea what they were talking about.

“It’s called _inspiration_ , you impossible man!” cried Mary incredulously, throwing her hands up in the air. Kuroi mewled. The woman whirled back onto Slade, her shimmering, nearly see-through hand prodding him in the chest. Slade pulled back, as if in fear of her touching him. “Stubborn doesn’t even begin to describe you! I can’t tell you how long I wanted to shake your head, and hope and pray some sense rattled back into place!”

“ _Dick!_ ” cried Slade, sounding alarmed and perfectly desperate. “Call off your mother!”

Dick snorted, shaking his head with a smirk on his face and putting his hand up into the air in surrender. “No way, Dad, you’re on your own. No way I’m getting on her bad side.”

Of course, immediately after which, Dick recoiled, feeling younger than ever, as his mother whirled on him, pointed a finger at him, and waggled it with fire in her eyes.

“Oh, my bad side, hm? You’ve _long_ been there, you naughty child,” said Mary, turning her tirade onto Dick, who backed up nervously. “Don’t you think you’re off the hook, young man. I heard what you said and I did _not_ teach you those words, and I want to know exactly where you learned them. _Hm?_ ”

It was written all over Slade’s face. It was a strange mixture of smug relief. Mama bear had a new target. He gestured lightly to Mary, a triumphant smirk spreading through his features. Dick blushed and dropped his head.

“Mama… I was already punished for it,” whispered Dick, his cheeks burning with embarrassment and shame.

“You should be thankful it was lenient!”

“ _Mama!_ ”

“If it were me, you’d be in so much more trouble,” scolded Mary, not missing a beat at Dick’s embarrassed cry. She continued on without pause – and with every word, Dick felt smaller and smaller. “How could you say such things and to your father no less! I taught you better respect than that. Don’t you forget, you hear? I did not raise an unruly, disrespectful hooligan of a child, I can tell you that.”

Mary huffed, drawing in a deep breath.

Oh, there was nothing like a dressing down from his mother.

“I don’t care how angry you are,” continued Mary, gaining momentum. “You are to show respect and restraint at _all_ times. You can hold back your punches in a fight, you can do the same with your words. A man doesn’t fly off the handle like that. Only boys act with such rashness. I thought I had instilled within my son to grow into a man, not into a boy who shaves.”

Dick’s face burned with fiery shame. His jaw trembled. His eyes watered. He kept his head bowed, unable to look into the face of his mother – unable to bear the thought that he had disappointed her. Somehow, her words cut him to his core, far greater than any scolding that either of the two fathers in his life had ever been able to accomplish – only once had Slade ever managed it and that had been more due to Dick’s fault, since he had lied to the man.

Something gentle brushed against his chin.

Dick looked up; Mary’s expression had softened, the anger gone from her face. Dick bit his lip and lowered his eyes. Mary tapped his chin softly, her touch barely recognizable – yet it was light and there. His eyes glanced back up at her.

“I know you will do better, hm?” whispered Mary, her eyes soft with love. Her tone was ever so gentle, so far away from the tone of rebuke she held seconds ago. Dick nodded meekly. “That’s my little robin,” she said, her voice lilting with a trill in her words. Praise, honor, and pride had entered her tone. “I know it’s hard learning to become a man, but—” Mary smiled, glancing briefly at Slade. “—you have a good father to lead the way. He’s not perfect, neither am I, neither is your first father – and neither are you. But keep trying. Use your words carefully from now on, hm? You have a lot of power within them, more than you truly realize. You need absolute control and restraint to be able to influence others for good, something I know you will obtain.”

At the sight of her approving smile, Dick nodded again and smiled in response. He glanced at Slade, who looked both highly amused and somewhat stunned by the whole thing. Raven simply stared at the pair of them, her violet eyes lit with confusion and surprise.

Dick was never going to live this down, was he?

_Perhaps Raven’s silence could be bribed…_

“Well, it’s a good thing I sent little Kuroi to watch over you,” said Mary, shaking her head. “Look at all the trouble you’ve gotten into during the last few months. My word, little robin, you certainly know how to make a mother worry.”

_She sent…_

“Mama,” began Dick, smiling in spite of himself. “Is there anything in my life you don’t have an influence in?”

Mischief danced in Mary’s eyes. “Well, obviously not your behavior,” she quipped. “Because Heaven knows I didn’t teach you that.”

“ _Mama_.”

“I know, I know, I already scolded you on this,” said Mary, putting her hands up. There was a pause. “But still—”

“Could we get back to the task at hand?” said Slade, interjecting smoothly. Oh, how Dick wanted to hug the man. Once Mary got going, it was almost impossible to stop her. “For instance, if you’re not an illusion… nor a hallucination, how— _why_ are you even here?”

Dick smiled to himself, his eyes lowering to the ground. He knew Slade had a hard time imagining things outside of anything beyond what he wanted to know. As for Dick, knowing his mother was still alive – in a sense, of course – and still working on things, just in a different world, it was enough for him. Seeing his mother, after her death, seeing a guardian to the underworld, seeing Trigon – knowing both demons and angels existed in the universe, Dick had an easier time of it.

Slade, of course, looked as if he were trying to figure out how to eat a huge, heavy watermelon in one sitting – in a manner of speaking.

_One bite at a time, Dad._

Mary sighed. “You are right. I’m afraid I’ve gotten off topic now. I haven’t appeared simply to scold the pair of you – Heaven knows you both needed a good lecture.”

Slade snorted.

Dick’s smile faded somewhat, sensing something more. Slade lowered Raven to the ground. A moment later, Raven giggled softly, her attention fully occupied, as the kitten ambled up to her and allowed Raven to stroke her fur. The young girl didn’t notice the change of mood.

“We’ve come for two reasons, the first being because there is something you need to know – without this information, you will fail in the battle against Trigon,” said Mary. She straightened slightly, folding her wrists in front of herself. She glanced at Slade. “It is time for you to understand now, the reasoning beyond your immortality.” Then, she paused and glanced at Dick. “The second reason is Trigon has blocked your return to the surface. So, we’ve intervened. You are needed in the current battle and the final battle to come. This is why we’ve come.”

Slade raised an eyebrow, just as Dick focused on one word.

“We?”

Suddenly, the air changed. The once overbearing heat cooled, settling to a pleasant temperature. The choking, suffocating scent now transformed into something ever changing – first, the scent of freshly cut grass; second, the salty air of the ocean; third, the musty air of old books; fourth, the sweet air of honeysuckle; and, fifth, the warming air of vanilla – all these flowed back and forth, the nose recognizing them one at a time.

Then, a tall figure appeared, stepping forth out of the shadows, the darkness fleeing from the pure light which emanated from every section of her body. Long white hair reached her back, long strands framing her pale face. While her clothing was similar to Mary’s pure white dress, its white patterns, white lace, and white beading were of a different, more complex design. Her figure, though seeming to glow with power, was solid in comparison to Mary. Blue eyes shone through a middle aged face – yet there were no wrinkles.

Three other women appeared, their light just as brilliant as the first, the shadows seeming to fear their very presence. The contrast of different races was apparent, as each bore different skin colors, hair colors, facial structures, heights, and even dress designs, though still pure white, to match their culture – and yet, the women stood next to each other, in obvious perfect harmony with one another.

Then, Slade jolted and whirled around. Dick turned around as well, to see a fifth woman. She was the shortest of the five women. With short black hair, pale skin, and smaller eyes, Dick figured she was of Asian descent. She pushed thin glasses up along the bridge of her nose and gave them both a soft smile. She held a clipboard – of all things – in her hands.

There was something powerful about these women. In the underworld, Styx had felt inhuman, as if he were something altogether different. These women, however, were completely human – except they had power mortals did not. What that was, Dick couldn’t understand. He knew they were different than his mother. These angels – for that was the only explanation Dick had for them – were of a different level.

And Dick felt incredibly small before them.

“I’m hallucinating again, aren’t I?” deadpanned Slade. The women each laughed softly, voices of different accents and languages blending together as one. The tallest, the only one with white hair, stepped forward. Her voice bore a Celtic accent.

“We have much to speak about, Slade Wilson. Our first order of business is with _you_.”

Somehow, the woman managed to make that sound more ominous than it really was – still, Dick couldn’t help but be amused at how fast the color left his father’s face.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:45 am.**

Two lights crashed in the air. Two powers flashed with every collision. Red blended with green, mocking the beauty of which those two colors brought in the seasonal time of winter. Sparks danced as two elements smashed into each other, an untouchable battle in the air. Like shooting stars, both flew and collided with the other.

A green Spinosaurus lifted his tail, defending against a grey Velociraptor. As the grey dinosaur lunged, the green counterpart swung his tail. Then, in a flash, bodies shifted and changed into new opponents. To an onlooker, it would’ve appeared like a battle of two shapeshifters and their efforts to one-up the other. However, to the participants, it wasn’t just trying to keep ahead of the other, it was a constant warfare in strategy – _whose choice would win the fight?_

Blue and white blasted against red and grey. Two bodies pounded into the other, their fists rushing forward, their arms blocking each attack. It was an all out battle of brute strength, whether it be with fists or with debris or with cannon fire, their force never bending to the other

With each separate fight, the grey doppelganger dominated.

The battles were fierce. The battles were long. And all the while, two others remained unconscious during the majority of them.

In the heat of the three battles, the friends reunited briefly, the group hiding behind the safety of some fallen debris. Taunting voices, which were their very own, rang out in search of their opponents.

“I fear that my darker self is more powerful than even my sister,” whispered Starfire. She was leaning against a large rock, sitting on the ground in an act of exhaustion, which she rarely ever displayed in front of the others. She glanced down at the ground; her clasped hands clenched together. “I… do not think I can defeat her.”

“I don’t know how much more I can take of this,” whispered Beast Boy, panting heavily. He was slumped on the ground. “I had no idea I was this tough!”

“You’re not,” said Cyborg flatly, snorting softly. “I can kick your butt any…”

It was almost as if a light bulb turned on. Cyborg grinned, in the which Beast Boy returned it with full brightness. They both turned their matching grins to Starfire, who smiled back at them.

“Tag team, yo!” shouted Cyborg, giving Beast Boy a high five. Their laughter melded together. These sounds brought attention to their location – however, the three of them targeted different enemies now. Starfire went after Dark Cyborg, Beast Boy went after Dark Starfire, and Cyborg went after Dark Beast Boy.

It was a brilliant plan. Honestly, they should’ve thought about it in the first place – it would’ve saved so much time.

The enemy doppelgangers didn’t dodge the attacks. In succession, the three Titans sent their attacks: starbolts shot after Dark Cyborg, a green monkey jumped towards Dark Starfire, and white cannon fire blasted towards Dark Beast Boy.

With a screech, Beast Boy in monkey form fell right through Dark Starfire’s body, as is she were a ghost. The other attacks blasted through their targets, who remained unscathed by them. As the dust settled, their enemies gathered together, watching the other three Titans with smirks on their faces. Cyborg lowered his cannon, dismayed shock across his face.

“What?” breathed Cyborg.

Soft laughter – sounds which sounded so dark and so awful from the kind, gentle voice that was Starfire’s – rang out among the ravaged land.

“That’s cheating,” said Dark Starfire, her smile dark. “What, we’re not good enough for you?”

“Can’t blame ‘em for trying,” said Dark Beast Boy, snickering darkly. He folded his arms and sneered at his original form. “I always enjoyed a bit of cheating. Nothing like going at things the easy way.” He laughed. “Why work for it, after all?”

“Too bad that won’t work with us,” said Dark Cyborg. He leaned against a large rock and folded his arms, as if they all were having a comfortable, enjoyable conversation with each other. “We know all your tricks. We know all your feelings. We know all your deepest and darkest secrets. Everything you’ve ever done, we know it.”

The sneer on Dark Cyborg’s grew wide.

“And we know _exactly_ how to use them against you.”

Starfire gasped. Suddenly, at a speed she hadn’t known was capable with a Tamaranean, Dark Starfire bolted towards her, stopping only a few inches away from her face. Dark Starfire lifted her red glowing hands, starbolt building up in her palms.

“So, there’s no cheating here,” purred Dark Starfire, her eyes glowing red with her power. “You’re going to have to face your own demons and without _any_ help.”

There was a shrieking scream a second later. Starfire’s form blasted back, her body striking fallen debris, rock and stone shattering in all directions with each impact.

Dark laughter poured from the doppelgangers, just as each smashed into their opponents – thus, the raging battles continued; however, far too much in the enemy’s advantage.

It was this soundtrack – the one of dark laughter, taunting voices, destruction of the landscape, and pained cries – which woke Rose from her unconsciousness. Her muscles ached with weaknesses. She slowly sat up, wincing as the pain raced through her body. When her mind became clearer, her heart fell into panic and she glanced around, looking for the others.

Joey was beside her on the ground, groaning as he came to. The sounds of fighting could be heard around them. Rose grabbed Joey by the shoulder, shaking him.

“Joey, wake up.” There was a low groan. “Hurry! The others need us!”

Joey’s closed eyes scrunched up in pain, his mouth opening in agony. He rolled to his side, moaning some more, before he opened his eyes. Then, suddenly, he bolted up, his head darting from side to side.

 _“What happened?”_ asked Joey, grimacing. He placed a hand to his head. _“I feel like a sledgehammer bashed my head in.”_

Rose snorted at the imagery. She had to agree with him, though. She had never felt such pain before, not even during her first death. With a heavy sigh, she dragged herself to her feet, before she helped Joey up.

“Come on, we can’t let those silly idiots have all the fun,” said Rose, grinning at Joey, who shook his head with a soft laugh. She slammed her fist into her hand. “I don’t want to miss out on the fight!”

Suddenly, a terrible scream tore through the air. Something landed nearby, rock and stone exploding apart from the impact. Rose and Joey broke into a run, both ignoring the pain in their limbs. Rose dropped to the ground, falling beside the figure who had landed so hard. They both dug through debris, pulling off some of the rock which had covered him.

Green skin marred with fresh blood was visible through torn, purple jumpsuit. Beast Boy’s chest rose up and down rapidly, his pants coming out in hoarse, desperate draws for breath. His clenched eyes were filled with tears.

“Beast Boy,” said Rose, her voice wavering. The boy opened his eyes. Relief shone through those green eyes as he glanced between Rose and Joey.

“You’re all right,” whispered Beast Boy, smiling slightly.

Rose laughed lightly. “You’re worried about us? You’re the one who got his butt handed to him right now. What’s going on?”

Beast Boy’s expression faltered. His jaw tightened. Wincing, he tried to push himself up, when Rose put a hand onto his chest.

“Hang on, kiddo,” said Rose. “You’re in no condition to get up. We’ll take over from here while you rest.”

Beast Boy shook his head and wouldn’t lay back down. He pushed through Rose’s protests and sat up. He took a moment to catch his breath, before he spoke again.

“Trigon created a new enemy, our dark selves,” said Beast Boy; his expression trembled. “We’ve been fighting ourselves, but they’ve been kicking our butts. I can’t…” There was a shuddering sigh. “I can’t beat myself. He’s always one step ahead of me. I don’t know what to do.”

 _“Dark selves?”_ said Joey, frowning. He glanced at Rose, before looking back at the boy. _“Have you tried fighting as a group or changing targets? You each have your strengths, yes, but honestly, Beast Boy, your physical attacks would be ineffective against metal.”_

Beast Boy raised a confused eyebrow. Rose rolled her eyes. “He means Cyborg can kick your butt,” she supplied.

“We tried that,” whispered Beast Boy. “But our attacks are useless against each other. My attacks only work on my own dark self –  it’s the same for the others.”

“Yo, loser self, where’d you go?” shouted a voice, which sounded almost too close to Beast Boy’s voice. There was something dark about it, though. “Did you run away? Do you miss your Mommy?” There was a dark laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ll send you straight into her arms. Won’t that be nice?”

Beast Boy stiffened. With a final, deep sigh, he stood up. Then, he looked at Rose, his green eyes gazing deeply into her face.

At the look in his eyes and the pained expression in his features, Rose found herself overcome with strong, maternal instincts that she had _no_ idea from where they came. Somehow, she wanted to hug this poor kid – though, she was sure she would’ve choked him by accident. But, _man_ , he looked so young! He needed a good dose of puberty _ASAP_. And then some.

“I think…” began Beast Boy; his voice wavered. Rose noticed the blood on his lips. A mixture of dirt, sweat, and dried blood marked the edges of his temples. Then, as if he were speaking a forbidden secret, he whispered, “I think we’re gonna lose.”

Then, that youth which had captivated Rose’s maternal side fled from the boy’s expression. Determination entered and disappeared as a falcon took the place of the boy. Off it went into the air, no doubt to fight against his dark self once again – and, no doubt, to lose over and over, until there was no fight left.

And Rose never felt more helpless in her life.

Something inside her heart sobered.

This wasn’t something to joke about. This wasn’t some fight where the ‘good guys’ were guaranteed to win. This was a fight for their lives – and not just their lives, but every single life that existed on the earth and would exist in the continuing ages in time.

This was a fight to the death – one they couldn’t afford to lose.

_Daddy, where are you?_

_Little brother, when are you coming back?_

_I don’t want it to end like this. I don’t want to watch people die! Not again. Not like this. We can’t fail._

“We have to do something!” cried Rose. She began to pace back and forth, the agitation bleeding through her tone. “We have to fight. We have to do something – they can’t just do it all alone!”

 _“What can we do?”_ whispered Joey. _“If our attacks can’t harm them, we’re basically useless – we’d do more harm than good. If we intervene, we’ll just hurt each other in the crossfire. The enemy will use that to their advantage.”_

“We can’t just stand here!” snapped Rose, waving in the direction of the three battles. Panic rose in her chest. Watching the battles, honestly, was like watching three one-sided beat downs – though, she’d never tell them that much, at least not now. When it was all over and they had won – _because they just had to win_ – only _then_ would she tease the pants off them. “We have to do _something_. How are we going to help them?”

“I don’t know!” cried Joey, his voice changing – completely unlike his usual calm demeanor. He ran a hand through his curly white, yet dirty hair and looked down at the ground. “I don’t understand it! I get that they each have to fight their own self – that much I understand – I mean, it makes sense in a way… but why…”

He glanced up at Rose, his expression stricken.

“Where are our dark selves? Why are we different from them?”

ooOOOOOoo

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on October 2nd, Friday:** Chapter Thirty-Three: The Price of Immortality – Certain secrets, ones far older than Dick, are revealed. Earthly immortality is a gift, one which comes with a price. Whether or not such a price is worth it, that will be something Slade must come to accept. However, without such a gift, so many lives are lost.
> 
>  **Author’s Notes:** Just one more chapter and our two parties finally come back together! YAY! And then everything gets even more dangerous for our dear heroes. XD I always thought the battle with Trigon could have more. But it was only three episodes and it’s an American show. I suppose I can’t expect super long battle episodes, like you get in Anime. Haha, I can’t really remember any one battle that lasted forever, but I must say, Naruto always had like 10 episode+ battles. LOL.
> 
> So, since I upped the bad guy side (more powerful Trigon, which you’ll see soon; no easy out for the Titans against their dark selves; and higher level demons, such as that black demon) I kind of had to up the good guy side, too. Or else it would be an epic fail for the heroes. And what better way to counter demons than with angels! I mean, Supernatural does it. Right? I think it does… I’ve only seen two episodes. LOL. Read a few fanfictions, though.
> 
> Go figure.
> 
> Okay, so updating every two weeks did not work out for me. *falls over* The past week and a half completely did not work for me. When I’m at my peak, I can do it. But when I’m not, yikes… So, I simply cannot do every two weeks. I had been doing good for a few weeks – finally – but then everything just was like, “Yeah, nope.” It’s literally 6:30am in the morning and I haven’t slept (though, that’s normal for me, so no worries on that). The chapter wasn’t as long as I wanted, but it’s more than I originally hoped when the night began. XD I’m sorry about the posting date, but it can’t be helped right now. Thank you all for your wonderful support, comments, and kudos. 
> 
> Hugs to you all!
> 
> Anthy


	33. The Price of Immortality

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

**The Price of Immortality**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:32 am.**

Dick shifted, somewhat nervous. The woman was staring at Slade, her gaze unwavering. Dick wasn’t worried about these women – obviously they weren’t enemies. However, he knew to respect them. He wasn’t about to anger a bunch of angels, especially when said angels were girls.

The last thing Dick needed was five more ‘mothers’ on his case. He’d take Slade any day over them. ‘Dad’, he could handle, even if said father were ever angry at him – no matter how frightening that was.

But five angry mothers? Now _that_ was the ultimate of _scary_.

“And just who are you?” demanded Slade; though his tone was soft and understated, as if his extreme wariness of these beings constricted his voice.

“I am Mikaela,” said the first woman, her Celtic accent lilting her tones. “Before we return you to the surface, we have some things we need to address.”

The woman turned to her companions; they all came to stand about two feet in front of them. Slade reared back slightly, as if intimidated. Dick looked at each, taking in every detail of their appearance. But it was the lack of shimmering that he noticed the most. These women had a more solid form than Mary.

The darkest skinned woman stepped forward; her dress had the most floral pattern in design and the least beaded pearls. “I am Tawiah.”

The woman with glasses and the clipboard stepped forward; her dress was similar to the oriental kimonos. She winked again. “My name is Kimiko.”

The next woman stepped forward; her black hair was braided with white pearls and her dress design bore remnants of ancient Egyptian, which also had the most beaded pearls. “I’m Zahra.”

The final woman stepped forward; her skin was light compared to the others and her dress was the most similar to Mary’s in design, yet more elegant. “And I’m Amelia.”

“Fascinating,” snapped Slade, his eye narrowing at the women. Sarcasm dripping throughout his tone. “Thank you so much for the pleasantries, but if you don’t mind, we need to get going now.”

“Oh, but we do mind,” said Amelia, her gentle, pleasant smile turning a bit more dangerous. “And if this area was more conducive for company, I’d have said to park your butt in a chair and shut up.”

Slade’s mouth hung open.

That moment where Dick had felt almost afraid of these women now vanished. When once they had felt so powerful, even out of this world – as that was the only term Dick could think of – now turned to be more inviting. These women weren’t strange beings. They were true, honest _humans_ above all. It was both amusing and slightly alarming.

The posture to each woman softened. A few chuckled, a few shook their heads. Kimiko rolled her eyes. Tawiah put her hands onto her hips and shot Amelia a scolding look.

“Can’t you be more polite?” demanded Tawiah, her voice filled with an accent as well.

Amelia pointed at Slade, incredulity in her expression. “To this man? He’s given us enough trouble as it is.”

“Oh, yes, because telling him to ‘park it’ is going to endear us to him,” said Zahra, rolling her eyes. Though her skin was dark as well, she still had black eyeliner around her eyes. “You catch more flies with honey.”

“Snapping towels catches quite a few, too – if I do say so myself,” said Amelia, huffing slightly.

Kimiko didn’t say anything, too busy scribbling something on her clipboard. Either she had _really_ small handwriting or her clipboard could hold more than a normal one. Her lips twitched into a reserved smile.

“Ladies, ladies, please,” said Mikaela, holding her hand up. “We haven’t time for this.”

“Not to be rude, but just what are you?” demanded Slade, appearing to be at his end now. Mikaela looked at him with surprise in her expression.

“We’re angels. Archangels, to be more precise.”

Dick waited for the ‘duh’, but it never came.

“Oh, yeah,” drawled Slade, the derision growing more. “If you’re angels, then where are your wings?”

He folded his arms, as if this was the most natural question.

Personally, Dick thought it was smarter and safer to poke a grizzly bear’s cub with his mother watching than to bait these women – but then again, that was just him. After all, he wasn’t immortal. Slade didn’t have to worry about something so trivial as _dying_.

“What is with you people and wings?” snapped Mikaela, huffing in exasperation.

Mary looked mildly offended.

“Oh, yes. _Yes!_ ” cried Mikaela, almost hysterically – as if she had reached some stunning epiphany. “Yes, I see it now! It’s _brilliant_.” The woman motioned each size as she continued to rant. “We go from teeny tiny plankton to hairy monkeys to humans to giant birds with _wings!_ Yes, I see it clearly now.” Her head dropped into her hand. “ _Dear Heaven, grant me strength._ ”

Dick snickered under his breath.

“They could be functional, I’ll have you know!” interjected Mary, putting her hands onto her hips. “If you would only consider them—”

“ _Mary Grayson_ ,” snapped Mikaela, in a tone that suggested this topic had been _repeatedly_ discussed, much to her exasperation. “We are not birds!”

“But—”

There was a sharp rapping sound, cutting off both women in their argument. All eyes turned towards the source. Kimiko had tapped her pen against her clipboard. She pushed her glasses onto the bridge of her nose, her dark eyes gazing at all who looked at her.

“We have nineteen minutes and twenty-two seconds before the other battle becomes severe, to the point of failing,” said Kimiko, her accented voice bordering on monotone as she stated the numbers. “It is now ten thirty-three. We have until ten fifty-two.” Then, her voice lilted upward, as if in questioning. “I suggest we get on with it?”

Mikaela took a deep breath. She nodded. “Right.”

However, before she could continue, a new voice, unrecognizable to Dick, spoke out. It was young, that of a teenager.

“Wait a mo, Mike! I wanna join in the fun, too.”

Then, Dick caught a glimpse of Slade he had never seen before. The man had stiffened, frozen to the spot, his eye widening with a mixture of intense emotion beyond anything Dick had seen there – fear, shock, and agony whirled within. For a long moment, Dick actually worried about the man; it appeared as if he had stopped breathing.

Then, a figure shimmered and appeared. There, standing next to Mary, was a boy. He was taller than Mary by a few inches; thus, a number of inches taller than Dick. He had dark brown hair, which was parted in the middle. His eyes were like Rose’s, a grey blue. And then, Dick knew exactly who this boy was. He had an element of mischief, far greater than Dick’s own, within his eyes. Even in the youth of his face, Dick could see so much of Slade in the boy. However, he could also see why Slade had once compared the two of them.

_Grant Wilson: Slade’s firstborn._

“How’s it hangin’, Dad?” said Grant, grinning from ear to ear.

The poor man appeared to have a small heart attack.

Slade had to take a step back, as the voice of his first son took him back so many years ago. There was no wall behind him or else Slade would’ve indulged in leaning against it. As it was, it was _extremely_ hard not to sway on the spot. Instead, he couldn’t stop himself from grabbing Dick by the shoulder and holding onto the boy for support. As Dick looked at him, there was a gentle light in his eyes, as if he knew exactly how Slade was feeling.

His son still existed.

Slade wasn’t sure what was more heart failing at that moment.

“Grant Wilson, how many times have I told you not to call me Mike!”

“Only six hundred and sixty-five times,” said Grant, grinning broadly as he rocked back onto his heels with his hands behind his back. He winked. “What to go for one more?” His eyebrows waggled in mischief. Mikaela sighed in exasperation, while the other women chuckled.

If there was ever a thing to take his breath away, other than Adeline on their wedding day, it was this. Seeing his son, the boy he had last seen motionless, now alive with so much life – well, it was stunning beyond measure. The boy hadn’t changed at all. He was still the adorable back-talking brat – fondly mentioned, of course – that he’d always been. He was different than Dick, who had an element of mischief to his personality, but not to the point where one wanted either laugh or strangle him. Grant had always danced along that line.

“Just what do you think you’re doing here, young man?” demanded Mikaela, putting her hands onto her hips, while ignoring the chuckling that was still going on among her peers. “Did you do as you were asked and direct the others?”

Grant nodded. “All done.”

“Then, _why_ are you here?”

Grant displayed a wide, toothy grin. “Just wanted to join the party. And scare Dad to death.”

“You were told to stay put!”

“And miss such a fantastic opportunity of seeing my Dad’s _flabbergasted_ expression? Yeah, like that was gonna happen.” Grant turned his attention to Dick, grinning even broader. “That’s such a great word, isn’t it? _Flabbergasted._ ”

Grant’s mischief was contagious, because Dick slowly smiled back at him. While Mikaela continued to sigh and shake her head, the others were smiling and ever chuckling at Grant.

_He’s still causing trouble… He really hasn’t changed._

“We don’t have time for the affect your presence will cause,” said Mikaela, her tone filled with scolding. “Your father will already have enough information to deal with without the shock of you showing up. Think of the man’s poor heart!”

Grant only grinned wider. His grey blue eyes twinkled as he motioned to Slade. “Ya see, she thinks you’re old, too. You might wanna sit down before you pass out, ol’ man.”

Dick let out a laugh, which he quickly changed a snorting cough. He glanced innocently at Slade, amused guilt in his features. Thus, with that, Slade let out a low sigh and placed a hand on his forehead.

Slade had already had a hard time understanding Trigon’s existence. Being effectively blackmailed by the creature hadn’t helped, obviously. However, somehow, Slade’s mind could wrap itself around the existence of the darkness. After so many years, it didn’t surprise him. The world was a dark place – Slade had experienced this intimately, whether on the battlefield or in contact of the villain underground.

The existence of light was so much harder to understand and accept. It changed everything Slade ever understood and accepted about the world. A battle to the death, Slade could handle that. But seeing for himself, knowing for himself that angels – _actual angels, blast it!_ – were entering the ally side of the battlefield was enough to send Slade over the edge of sanity.

But it was Grant’s appearance that completely threw him off balance.

Maybe, _maybe_ he could’ve accepted Mary. A mother watching over her orphaned son, even after her death, such a sad tale could be understood. Ghosts could be explained, right?

But _this_ …

Oh, what he would’ve given to have Wintergreen at his side right then. The old man would have offered some kind of advice, something to bring sense back into everything. Right?

Then again, the old man would have more than likely caused Slade even more confusion.

“Grant, you may only stay if you remain quiet for now,” said Kimiko, checking her clipboard again. “You may speak with your father later, but right now there’s no time.”

_There would be a chance to actually talk?_

Grant went rigid in a military attention and saluted the woman.

“Roger!”

There was another long, tired sigh. Somehow, Slade could relate.

“All right, onto the subject at hand,” said Mikaela, shaking her head for a moment as she glanced at Grant. “Immortality on Earth isn’t something mankind is supposed to have currently. However, there are three, now, who do have this. You, Slade, and your two children, Rose and Joey.”

“Ah, I would like to interject for a moment,” said Kimiko, speaking up. “Your immortality can be passed down to children, as in the case of Rose and Joey; therefore, to contain further immortality among others, you will not be able to have any more children. Rose and Joey will be unable to have children as well.” Her tone softened; her dark eyes filled with emotion. “I am sorry.”

There was a sharp intake of breath. Slade glanced towards its source; Dick appeared stricken by the news. For a moment, Slade couldn’t help but wonder why. It wasn’t like he was married, nor was Slade planning on it ever again. Once was enough.

It wasn’t like Slade would find someone to fill what Adeline had been, anyway – and Adeline had made it more than clear she wanted nothing to do with him. And who would marry him, anyway? A fellow mercenary? Good grief… Maybe he should put out a want-ad: _will marry if you can kidnap my son to be your apprentice._

Mmm, now there was a suggestion, one which made Slade growl in his throat at the very thought.

“You’re not included in this, sweetie,” whispered Mary, her eyes filled with understanding. There was a sigh of relief, as Dick placed a hand onto his chest. Slade raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling alarmed that, _already_ , the boy was planning on children. _Good grief_ , the boy was only fifteen!

The news about Rose and Joey, however, wasn’t good. It meant that Slade would never have biological grandchildren – _not_ that he was asking for them just yet. Still… It would’ve been nice. He wasn’t sure how Rose and Joey were going to take it, though.

These women… They were meddling busybodies, weren’t they?

“When you volunteered to be a test subject for the truth serum,” said Mikaela, continuing. “You were the only one we gave immortality. Sadly, though, you were the only one who survived the events surrounding this.”

There was something in the way she said it… After a moment, Slade’s eye widened, horror filling his face. Fists clenched at his sides. Then, his hand bolted out; Dick jerked in surprise, his eyes wide in alarm. Slade grabbed the woman by the collar and dragged her close, uncaring over his actions. Further surprise entered Dick’s eyes as he glanced at Slade’s hand, then to his mother, before glancing back – Slade didn’t notice this.

“Are you saying you killed thousands of men and women for this?” shouted Slade, the fury uncontained. “You _allowed_ them to die, while keeping me alive?!”

A warm hand touched Slade on the forearm.

“You should’ve died as well. We have no power to stop the choices of men,” said Tawiah. Her voice was calm. “They have their freedom of choice, a gift given to them in their very birth, conceived even before time existed. Terrible things happen, simply because man chooses these things. We cannot stop it or else we infringe on this freedom.”

“How could you let them die?” demanded Slade.

“We didn’t _let_ them die. We had no control over that. We are not to blame for other people’s choices – only our own,” said Mikaela, her eyes never wavering. She appeared unconcerned that Slade held her by the collar. “Humanity’s very nature is an enemy to everything that is good. It will be those who fight against their very nature, they are the ones who will become something magnificent.”

Slade’s hand loosened its hold as he frowned.

“Those who give into it,” continued Mikaela, her tone becoming powerful. “Those who give up, they are those who are weak – and if there’s one thing humanity is not, it’s weak!”

The hand slipped out of the woman’s collar.

“We’re not unaware and we’re not unprepared,” said Zahra. “No mortal is truly free from death. There are some that claim it, there are some that flee from it, there are some who deceive it, but no matter what, they are not exempt. The three individuals chosen for this time who are currently without fear of death are you and your two children.”

“You were hand chosen to protect the land until time has been completed,” said Mikaela.

All five women were staring at Slade, as if this news was supposed to explain everything – as if that justified the fact the countless other deaths. Well, wasn’t that just wonderfully _irritating_ – in fact, it was so irritating, Slade could actually _feel_ his blood pressure rising.

“This must be a joke.”

_And a poor one at that._

Protect the land? What did _that_ mean? Were these women honestly suggesting that they chose _him_ , out of so many better people out there, to be someone they trusted? Why not Batman or Superman, for crying out loud! They were far better suited to the do-gooder act than he was – okay, yes, he did some good things, but nonetheless, he wasn’t about to go saving stranded cats in trees. If Dick wanted to do that with the rest of his life, then that was fine. Slade had no inclination for that sort of nonsense.

Wintergreen didn’t even need to be there for Slade to hear the old man’s mocking voice of, _“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black.”_

“This is not a joke!” snapped Mikaela. “We chose you for a reason.”

“And of all those good men and women, you chose me?”

“Correct.”

“Oh, _yes_ ,” drawled Slade, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Since my moral code is the highest one around. Naturally, I was picked out of the lot.”

Personally, Wintergreen was at the top of Slade’s list. Why hadn’t they picked _him?_ He would’ve been so much better for the job and he would’ve actually enjoyed it, too.

Mikaela smiled. “Not quite,” she said, giving Slade an amused lift of her eyebrows. It set Slade’s teeth on edge. “We chose you because you are the most capable of change. Your ability to adjust yourself, your ability to learn, to grow – these are the reasons we chose you.”

_‘The most capable of change…’_

Out of all the people in the world, Slade would’ve sworn he was the least capable of change. He was immortal. Wasn’t that the point, after all? He couldn’t grow, since it had been stopped so many years ago. Yes, of course, he’d gotten a bit more… mellow this past year, but that was only because Dick was a sensitive boy and Slade was only trying to be a good father to him.

 _Surely_ … Surely that wasn’t the sole reason they would pick him?

However—” continued Mikaela, breaking off and turning her head ever so slightly, a smile lifting her lips as she looked down at Dick. “A certain condition needed to be met before it could be fully unlocked. Your mother figured this out and put this into motion. Her son truly was born with a unique power.”

Dick frowned. “But I don’t have powers,” he protested.

“Are you sure about that?” said Mikaela. A smile lifted her expression. “The man who was a mercenary now stands beside you as man convicted to his new position as a father. He will sacrifice everything for his children now – for his family. This is a man worthy of our choice. You have the power to change people’s hearts. Your spirit is very special.”

“But I failed Terra,” whispered Dick. “In the end, she still betrayed us.”

“Did she? Did she really betray you in the end?” asked Zahra. “From the beginning, she was a spy. From the beginning, she came into your group to destroy you. But because of your kindness, because of that unwavering heart of yours, she turned towards you. In the end, it was Trigon whom she betrayed and he tried to kill her, but her power protected her – in fact, it’s her power we’re using in protecting everyone else. Without her gift, people would’ve died.”

“So, now all you have to do is stop Trigon,” said Mikaela, smiling pleasantly.

Oh, yes, since that was _so_ easy. Whether or not it was on the top of Slade’s to-do-list, it was still nearly impossible to accomplish. And he certainly did not need these women to state the obvious!

“Your power of healing will keep everyone on the battlefield going,” said Amelia. “The only requirement needed for this to activate is your intent. You must believe and trust in your own power, and you must want to heal. Without those things, your healing is useless.”

Slade drew in a deep breath, his nostrils flaring in aggravation.

“Look, I understand this is difficult to process,” began Mikaela. “I know you have dealt with much—”

“ _No_. You know nothing about me,” hissed Slade, his patience officially at its limit. “You can claim to be whatever you wish, but you know _nothing_. Do us all a favor and stop acting as such—”

“You were never in a coma.”

Blood drained from Slade’s face. The woman was unwavering as ever, the powerful light in her eyes gazing at him with an element of deep knowledge – as if she _knew_ , something that simply couldn’t be.

Or, in reality, something Slade didn’t want to be.

He could feel the boring eyes of Dick, his stance frightening curious, yet not over demanding. Dick, no doubt, was wondering exactly what the woman had meant – he was quick, though. The boy would piece together the truth before the woman even opened her mouth to reveal more.

There had been no reason to state otherwise. Better to say he’d been in a coma instead of what really happened during those two years. When he had told the boy his story, it had been before their deeper connection. Well, Slade had no qualms about telling the truth, even dark secrets, what had happened during those two years did not need to go into the ears and mind of a fourteen year old – and fifteen wasn’t a step up from that, either. Immortality didn’t happen in a deep sleep.

Vietnam was terrible. It was horrific.

And yet, it didn’t compare to what happened during those two years.

“What is she talking about?” whispered Dick, glancing between Mikaela and Slade.

“Two years in a coma? It was a lovely cover up story to what truly happened there.”

He hadn’t even told Adeline. She was a strong woman, one of the main reasons he married her. She could handle the talk of war, being in the army herself, no matter the horrors it brought. But Slade kept the worst of it to himself.

And that included everything else in his life, not just the war.

“What happened?” asked Dick, his eyes wide with anticipating horror.

“To put it lightly—”

“ _Enough!_ ” shouted Slade, glaring at Mikaela. She was unaffected. “You will not speak of it, especially not in front of Dick.”

“—they tortured you.”

Rage beyond anything Slade had ever felt before billowed and exploded in his heart. How _dare_ this woman sprout out deep secrets. How _dare_ she stand there, acting so nonchalantly about dark things that should never be dredged up.

_How dare she!_

“The truth serum was harder than they originally suspected,” said Mikaela, still ever unwavering, yet now a softness entered her eyes, as if the relating the information was painful. “They weren’t looking for something that merely induced a small amount of truth. They wanted something more all encompassing. They wanted a truth serum that made its victim lose all sense of personal agency. Even if the victim didn’t want to speak, they would have no choice but to spill everything their soul possessed. Not even the strongest of wills could resist it.”

“If they had succeeded,” said Zahra, her voice low. “It would have been the means of creating armies of mindless soldiers. The world would’ve experienced terrible war, beyond that of the previous world wars.”

“Instead, we allowed them to find a formula for immortality, even though they’ll never know it,” said Mikaela. “However, to be clear, the original formula itself only works for you. On anyone else, it will fail.”

“But I gave the serum to Dick,” said Slade. “It worked, to a point.”

“No, you gave him an injection of your blood, to be exact. Which is dangerous for normal people, I might add. But since it’s _your_ blood, it was fine. In fact, you can inject your blood into any person and it will give the same effect – _healing_.”

Wait, _what?!_

“Healing?” asked Dick. “You mean, he can heal more than just himself?”

Mikaela nodded. “How do you think you became well overnight? Slade used his healing on you, though without realizing it.”

 _Healing abilities? No, no, no, that couldn’t be correct_ …

Slade frowned. Well, it did explain why Dick recovered so suddenly. The boy had wanted to call it a miracle. Obviously there had been an explanation for the impossible. It was almost comforting, if it weren’t for the fact Slade had to accept a further level of his powers.

“Each of you, Rose and Joey included, have individual gifts on top of the immortality,” said Amelia. “While each of you have the gift of regeneration when needed, only you, Slade, have the gift to extend it outside yourself. Rose has the gift of power. Joey has the gift of voice. Not only is Rose powerful, but if she uses it well, she can effectively teach others to gain power for themselves. The art of persuasion and leadership is given to Joey. His voice can sway people; thus, he will be a leader, who can bring many together under his command.”

“Together, the three of you make a complete triangle, each power interconnecting with the other,” said Kimiko, motioning with two fingers in the air to form a triangle. Then, she brightened up, beyond anything she had displayed yet. “Kind of like the Legend of Zelda, but not quite. Unfortunately. Too bad, really.”

Slade looked over at Dick and hissed underneath his breath, “The _what?_ ”

Dick leaned closer and whispered, “Video game.”

“She’s comparing real life to _a video game?!_ ”

“Apparently.”

Hibernating sounded absolutely fantastic at that moment.

“I have a wonderful idea,” said Slade, sounding almost optimistic. Those who knew him well would’ve heard the oozing sarcasm creeping there. “How about we send _you_ into battle, while we offer our insignificant, unneeded, and unwanted moral support.”

Dick groaned and dropped his face into his hand. He shook his head, while murmuring, “ _Dad_ ,” in a chiding tone.

Grant snorted. “He’s still got it.”

“Oh, come on!” snapped Amelia. “It’s a battle against the father of all evil. Stop complaining about this. We’re trying to help you. We could’ve just let you all be. Then, you’d be _dead_. Honestly, did you really think it’d be easy? A simple playground fight? Bah, of course not!”

“What Amelia is trying to say is,” interjected Zahra, lifting her hands in a placating motion. “A battle against evil is ongoing. Every moment you breathe, you fight. Every moment you’re alive, you’re battling against the evil in whatever form it takes. Whether it be a visible opponent or whether it be yourself. This is just on a higher scale than what you’re normally used to—”

“This is _ridiculous_ ,” snapped Slade. “This battle is obviously on a different _plain_ on the scale of insanity. This isn’t our fight and you know it. Why involve us in your supernatural fight, anyway?”

That, apparently, had been a strange question to ask. The five women looked at Slade, puzzled surprise entering their features. Even Kimiko paused from her clipboard to stare at Slade.

“Our world is your world,” said Tawiah, her voice soft. “Your world is our world. We are interconnected. We are family. You would never abandon your children, would you? It is the same here.”

Slade could feel a headache coming on.

As the another argument surged upward with Slade at the helm –something about all this being too much, along with a few mutters of where a good, stiff drink could be located – a soft voice took Dick’s attention.

“Dick,” whispered Mary, motioning to herself. Dick looked back at Slade, now arguing louder than ever with Mikaela. It even alarmed Grant, who was trying to do some damage control. Dick tore his gaze away from the mess and came over to his mother. Mary’s eyes glimmered as she looked at him.

For a moment, she didn’t say anything. Then, with a hoarse whisper, “Listen to me, my little robin. I have a few things to say to you before you go.” Dick nodded, noting the seriousness in her tone. “To overcome this challenge, you must look within yourself. You must overcome your weaknesses – and to do this, you must acknowledge them and accept them; there’s no hiding from them. You cannot sweep them underneath the rug, like you used to do during your chores when you were a child.”

Dick blushed, but he smiled. However, his mood sobered when he saw the desperate light in her eyes.

“You aren’t perfect,” whispered Mary. “And that’s okay. You’re not meant to be in this life – but you still must understand where your limits are. Once you do, it is then and only then that you have the knowledge and strength to overcome them through your diligence.”

“I hear you, Mama,” said Dick, wanting to reassure her; she seemed so anxious – so worried and desperate for him to understand. Problem was… he didn’t. “But I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

Concern entered Mary’s face. She looked to the side, as if trying to gather her thoughts. Then, after a long moment, she glanced back at Dick. She lifted her hands in the air, raising one finger on each hand.

“Two sides war against each other right now,” said Mary, her voice still low and quiet. “It is always easy to listen to the one – to give into the weakness. However, your true strength cannot come out when you do what is easy. No one ever truly wants to do hard things, except for a handful of thrill seekers, like your father over there—” Dick snorted. “Some might like challenges, but much of the time, the trials and challenges of life are never the ones we would choose for ourselves.”

And there it was again, that desperate light in her eyes, as if she worried about the enemy he would have to face – as if she knew his weaknesses more than he knew them himself.

“Remember, little robin,” whispered Mary. “When you feel weak, when you feel like giving up, push a little more, trying a little harder, take one more step – your weakness will become your strength, then.”

She hesitated for a moment. Then, in a hushed tone, one filled with so much meaning, but one Dick couldn’t fully understand, she whispered yet again.

“ _Don’t fear yourself._ ”

“I… still don’t really understand,” whispered Dick, wishing his mother would be a bit more clear – he understood her vague instructions; she was obviously warning him about something. But why couldn’t she just say it outright?

But Mary only smiled, though it was slightly strained. “I can’t say more, my little robin.” She paused; her expression became contemplative, though her eyes twinkled. “Protocol… after all.”

Dick snorted into a laugh.

“So I’ve heard.”

The twinkle faded in Mary’s eyes. She clasped her hands, twisting them together, worriedly looking at him. It was as if she were trying very hard not to have a nervous breakdown – no matter how much she was actually failing at that.

“Mama, what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“My baby’s going off to war,” whispered Mary. “It’s hard not to feel a little anxious.”

“Oh,” said Dick, blinking.

And then he knew.

He had wanted to ask, had wanted to understand what Styx had meant with his cryptic and disturbing warning. But the look in his mother’s eyes said it all. It wasn’t just a warning, yet it wasn’t a prediction. It was only a possibility, one that couldn’t be allowed to come to pass. And with every conviction in Dick’s soul, he wasn’t going to fail in that.

Dick took a deep breath and smiled at her. “I’ll be careful, all right?” he said, confidence in his tone. “I promise. Everything is going to be fine.”

A peace melded across Mary’s expression. She smiled at him, the worry gone. She nodded.

“I know. I’m still your Mama, though,” said Mary, her nose wrinkling with her smile. “It’s my job to worry myself sick over you.”

She stepped closer to him, her hands slipping upward next to his cheeks. Dick could feel the shimmering warmth, yet there was no weight to it. He dipped his head, just as Mary leaned forward. Their foreheads touched, that same warmth entering his skin. Dick pushed back the longing of wanting to hug her and simply enjoyed the moment.

A soft whisper entered Dick’s ear.

“There’s another gift you’ve been given.” Mary exhaled, a gentle laugh on its edges. “The injection of Slade’s blood did more than just heal you. For you and only _you_ , as this won’t happen for anyone else – you are truly your father’s son now. Heart, soul, and _blood_.”

Dick’s eyes widened.

“You mean…”

“You’ll notice it in your children. The resemblance will be unmistakable. You’re still a Grayson, but you’re also a Wilson now. Just no… immortality. If you need further proof – knowing Slade – a blood test will confirm it.”

As they pulled back, there were tears in Mary’s eyes. She gave him another smile, one filled with pride and joy. The information blew Dick’s mind. With everything going crazy, this was the best gift Dick could have been given. Even after her worry, it was like she was confirming that there was a future for everyone – and Dick was determined to see that future.

The argument seemed to have calmed down now, though Slade appeared to be sick, tired, and exasperated – while Mikaela merely smiled. However, a worried voice broke the calm.

“Mikaela,” whispered Grant, pausing for a moment. Then, the color draining from his face slightly. Further alarm entered his tone. “I think something’s wrong. The others… Don’t you think we should let them go now?”

Mikaela nodded, her expression turning grim.

“I noticed it, too. All right, you best hurry, then,” said Mikaela. She walked to one of the walls in the cavern. “From here, this will take to the surface. After which, you will only need to go a small ways before you enter the battlefield,” she said, pointing to the doorway, which appeared and formed from the rock face. “Trigon planned on keeping you down here forever. Whether your death came from suffocation, starvation, or the multitude of demons, it mattered little to him.”

“Hold up, that’s it? This all still doesn’t make any sense!”

Dick blinked, remembering that new fire demon. He completely ignored Slade, riding over the man, “Wait a minute, what was that black demon?” he asked. Slade glared at him for interrupting. “I hadn’t seen anything like it before.”

“It’s the highest ranking demon beneath Trigon,” said Kimiko, looking at her clipboard. “There are five in existence, to counter our five Archangel court. They are quite difficult to defeat. Each have their own unique army to command. You’ve met one, who commands the great army of secondary fire demons. Luckily, however, three are currently unavailable at this time, being stationed among other parts of the universe.”

The young woman smiled at them, almost cheerful like.

“Consider yourselves lucky,” said Kimiko. “Had all five been stationed here, there would be no hope to defeat them.”

Zahra rolled her eyes. “Leaving things to chance isn’t our way. Don’t listen to her. She’s teasing you.”

Teasing, Dick could take that. The unknown worry about another one of those nasty, terrifying demons, now that was something Dick didn’t need.

“So… We have to take down two of them?” asked Dick, glancing between the women. “What does the second one command over?”

There was a weak laugh, one which bore the recognizable sounds of someone trying to cover up something. Mikaela came to their sides and pushed them forward.

“Now, now, I do think it’s time for you to go.”

Of course, this only alarmed Dick more.

“Hold up, what aren’t you telling us?” demanded Dick, his head whipping back and forth between every woman, resting finally onto his mother. She was wringing her hands together, her lips pursed firmly into a straight line.

Well, that didn’t bode well.

“Nothing like experiencing the full effect on the battlefield,” said Mikaela cheerfully, as if a full on battle with demons was perfectly normal and acceptable.

“I prefer to have my intelligence beforehand, if you don’t mind,” snapped Slade.

“Well, that’s good. You’re going to need it,” said Mikaela.

Grant snickered.

“Mikaela is just trying to cover up the fact we could only get rid of three of them,” said Amelia. “You shouldn’t have to deal with them at all, let alone with two of them.”

“All right, fine,” said Dick, trying to control the rising fear. “So, just tell us what we have to face. We got this, but information is a must.”

Unfortunately, all three of them, with Raven placed and settled into Slade’s arms again, were pushed into the rocky opening that was posing as a door. Kuroi followed them, her tail high. Mikaela grinned, lightly clapped her hands together a few times, before gesturing upward with a finger.

“Going up?”

Dick would’ve had time to enjoy that irony if he hadn’t been so focused on the subject of confronting more demons such as the black one.

“See ya, Pop!” said Grant, grinning from ear to ear as he waved. “I’ll probably see you later. Just win.”

He winked; Mary sighed in exasperation.

“Can’t you tell us anything?” asked Dick, the worry overflowing now. “Like what army or _something?”_

The doors slowly began to close. Mikaela looked up at the ceiling, her expression filled with a mixture of pained amusement and faked innocence. Zahra laughed weakly.

“Think bugs,” said Zahra, almost conspiratorially. Her smile became wider, her eyes wrinkled in apology. “Really _big_ bugs.”

The rocky doors continued to slowly close. Dick frowned, his eyebrows furrowed deeply, as his thoughts raced over that slightly unusual, but disturbing statement. Slade raised an eyebrow and they shared a confused glance. The doors were only foot away from connecting shut. After a moment, there was a soft inhale of breath from Raven and her eyes widened. It was then that Dick’s mind flashed through memories, ones which were two months old. At this, pure horror rushed through every vein.

As the doors came shut together, Dick’s exasperated, frustrated cry was the last thing heard by the guilty, smiling angels behind.

“ _You have got to be kidding me!_ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on November 6th, Friday:** Chapter Thirty-Four: The Rise of Trigon – And thus it begins. The all out battle against Trigon finally reaches its peak as Slade, Dick, and Raven enter the field. But demons, both internal and external, are not the biggest problem. As more enemies converge together, Trigon himself finally joins in the fray as an unlikely, yet seemingly unbeatable opponent.
> 
>  **Author’s Notes:** And just when we all forgot about the lava filled scorpions… *shudders* Let the battle really begin.
> 
> And… Oh, Grant, you’re a delight.


	34. The Rise of Trigon

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

**The Rise of Trigon**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:47 am.**

The air was penetrated with ranting. Slade leaned against the wall, Raven still in his arms. The kitten had perched herself against his leg, nearly on top of his boot. Her loud, contented purrs couldn’t be heard over the continual yelling that Dick was producing.

“Of all the things it could’ve been, why that?! _Bugs?_ Seriously?! Is nothing _normal_ in my life?!”

Slade sighed again.

“Nothing could be worse than that–that–that _thing!_ Ugh! Couldn’t they have done something more! And why couldn’t they be straight about this!”

“Dick.”

The rant continued, mostly nonsensical by this time.

“ _Dick_. Do you mind?” snapped Slade. “You’re giving me a headache. And I’m not supposed to get those any more.”

“But Dad—”

“Dick, stop it,” said Slade, leaning his head back and sighing. After a moment, he looked at Dick, who had his hands on his hips, a perpetual glare on his countenance. “I don’t even know why you’re getting worked up. All I hear is a drone of angry words. What on earth are you talking about?”

“She said _bugs_. Really _big bugs_ ,” said Dick, grounding out each word in frustration. Slade waited, as if letting him continue, but Dick wanted those words to sink in. The man sighed again.

“And the point?”

“Do you remember when we first found Terra?” asked Dick, the irritated contempt still in his tone. “And I called you and told you about that thing we defeated?”

Slade took a moment, his eyebrows furrowed. Then, his visible eye scrunched up in pain. He shook his head, sighing in exasperation.

“You’re joking.”

Dick folded his arms. “Now you can see why I’m having an issue here. One of those giant scorpions was hard enough for the entire team, but an army of them? That’s ridiculous. We’d need all of the superheroes from around the world, but there’s only us. We have to defeat an army of them – that’s not even including Trigon in this mess. What are we supposed to do?”

There was an almost pleading worry in his tone, though Dick hadn’t meant for it to be there. In the end, it had been more of a statement than a question. With nothing to counter it, the small enclosed room fell into silence. The kitten even stopped purring. Raven turned slightly in Slade’s hold, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head against his own. Slade patted her back, as if he didn’t realize he was doing it, his expression pensive.

Somehow, that scene lifted Dick’s heart. Seeing Slade, a man who could be so frightening and powerful in battle, kindly comfort a small child in his arms with such contrasting softness – Dick couldn’t hold back the smile. For a moment, Slade didn’t notice. After a moment, however, he glanced at Dick and raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

Dick’s smile only grew. “Nothing.”

“You have that look about you,” said Slade, his eyebrow still lifted.

“What look?”

“One of mischief.”

“Lucky for you there’s no time for that.”

Slade rolled his eye, shook his head, and patted Raven’s back. Silence fell again.

As the rock enclosure continued to rise up to the surface and with nothing else to occupy his mind, Dick thought about their recent encounter. After seeing his mother on his birthday, he wasn’t really shocked by the other angels. It was what they had said about Slade that interested him.

Just how in depth was Slade’s gift in healing? Raven had a small amount of healing abilities. What Dick knew about it, she could heal surface wounds, even some deep gashes, and mend sprains. But of deeper issues, like diseases and broken or shattered bones, she couldn’t heal.

Could Slade do that much and more?

But from what Dick understood about Slade’s ability, there was a catch to it – one which, knowing Slade, could greatly hinder it.

“Dad…” began Dick, his voice softer now. Slade stopped staring at the wall and looked at him. Dick met his gaze. “Do you believe them?”

“Believe what?”

“That you can heal others.”

Slade let out a sigh, which sounded mixed with a derisive scoff. He shook his head.

“It’s ridiculous.”

“But they were telling the truth!”

“There cannot be any truth to their claims,” said Slade, his tone turning harder. As Dick opened his mouth, Slade put a hand to silence him. “Look, I don’t want to talk about it, Dick. I need to think about a plan.”

Dick gave the man ten seconds. “So, that’s it?” he said, ignoring the soft growl of annoyance. “You’re not going to believe them? You’re not gonna even consider the possibility?”

Dick threw his arms into the air. “Will’s right. He’s absolutely right about you.” He folded his arms and faced away from Slade. He could feel the man’s gaze on the back of his head. After a moment, Dick got the response he was waiting for.

“What did Will say about me?” asked Slade, his voice becoming slightly dangerous. Dick ignored the warnings and looked right back at the man.

“You’re the most stubborn guy on the planet.”

“ _Excuse me?_ ” growled Slade.

“No, you’re not excused,” said Dick flatly, the imp rising higher in him. Either that or his self preservation had disappeared. But before Slade could counter him, Dick’s expression sobered. “Look, Dad, you could save lives with this. I know, before, you were saving people in your own way—” Slade let out a snort. “—Hey, it’s true,” Dick protested. “Even if you don’t want to admit it. You were. Taking a life to protect countless others. In your own way, you were helping people. Even if I don’t agree with it. _But_ … with this gift, you could save lives. People who didn’t have hope before would be given a new chance at life. I mean, just think about it for a minute. You could do _so much_.”

For a long moment, Slade didn’t say anything. He appeared extremely uncomfortable, though. Dick wasn’t sure if he should say anything more or let the man think about it a little longer. As the silence continued, Dick was about to try again, when Slade suddenly spoke.

“What makes them think I’m suited to such a skill?” snapped Slade, his tone filled with incredulity. His voice startled Raven and she whined slightly, like a child being woken suddenly from a deep sleep. Once again, Slade absently patted her back and Raven laid her head back down again. This time, as Slade continued to speak, it was softer, even quieter. “I’m not the blasted do-gooder around here. They should’ve given it to you. You would flourish with such a skill.”

Dick smiled, now fully understanding the problem.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll believe in yourself when the time is right.”

There was a long pause.

“You’re such a cheeky imp.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:48 am.**

Her power wasn’t good enough.

His power wasn’t good enough.

They couldn’t do anything. Trigon had even stopped responding to Rose’s colorful taunts. The monster continued to sit on his conquered throne, his eyes closed, an almost content expression across his inhuman features. What was he waiting for? Why wasn’t he fighting them? Joey couldn’t even get near him now because a barrier had been erected.

What were they supposed to do?

They couldn’t fight Trigon.

They couldn’t interfere with the other three fights.

Helpless. That word alone couldn’t fully grasp the scope of feelings Joey felt. There was truly _nothing_ they could do, except watch their friends, however new they were to them, be beaten to death. They had the confidence of those who had passed, but… What did that matter if they all died in the process?

Why had Grant appeared? He hadn’t said anything, but winked in that annoying mischievous way of his – like he knew something Joey didn’t. In their younger years, it had always been that way—drove Joey crazy. Why, after all that effort in showing up, hadn’t they received more answers? Were they missing something?

It was affecting Rose, too. She was hunched on the ground, her hands digging into the ashy ground, with her head bowed as her shoulders shook. She had tried to help in the fight. She had tried to help Beast Boy.

In the end, she had only helped get him more hurt.

Until Slade and Dick came back… What more could they do? But even then, what could they do? It wasn’t like they would suddenly have the advantage when Slade and Dick arrived. They would be just as powerless as they were in this fight. Joey was an optimist, but being realistic right now… Who knew what condition they would find Raven in – she could be injured or worse. Or maybe they never found her. Anything was possible.

Joey was startled out of his thoughts as Rose let out an agonizing scream, one of frustration. She bolted to her feet, her fists clenched at her sides. She whirled around, facing Joey. She jerked a hand in the direction of Trigon.

“What are we supposed to do?”demanded Rose furiously. “I can’t just sit here! Joey, what…”

Tears filled her eyes. She roughly wiped them away. Her breath came out in gasps. And that overwhelming, overpowering helpless feeling inside Joey’s chest only grew more. He wanted to reach out to her, but he knew there was nothing that could comfort her. The only thing that would help was being able to aid their friends.

Suddenly, Rose stopped. For a moment, Joey thought she had controlled herself. However, she pitched forward – Joey rushed forward, catching her before she met the ground.

_“Rose!”_

She was limp in his arms. He turned her over; her eyes were closed. Had she really fainted? But Rose didn’t _faint_. She never fainted. Surely she hadn’t gotten that hysterical—

But before Joey could try to wake her up, something pulled at his mind. Shocked at himself, he could feel his body slumping over, his arms still curled around Rose’s shoulders. It was as if something tugged at his soul – and yet the moment between everything disappearing and the regaining of consciousness was brief.

He was standing up, even though he’d been on the ground. Rose stood beside him, looking around at the endless white landscape around them. Somehow, Joey knew this wasn’t the world, but something within his mind.

He had to be dreaming, since there were five women, elegantly dressed in white, standing in front of them. They were more magnificent than any living creature Joey had ever seen. The shortest of the women snapped a pen against a clipboard. She gave Joey a gentle smile. Somehow, all the tension in his chest fled.

“Ladies, we have three minutes and nineteen seconds before the lives of the three Titans are in fatal jeopardy. I suggest we make this quick. Hopefully, these two are a bit smarter and sharper than their father.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:51 am.**

Reaching the surface filled Dick with mixed feelings. His entire body raced with adrenaline, prepping itself for the oncoming battle that was sure to come. It wasn’t like the usual fights he had faced, though. The tension in his chest made it hard to breathe. This fight would have that unique element Slade always talked about: _fight to live._

This wasn’t some fight against Mad Mod or some other pathetic, wannabe villain. This was life or death and Dick was determined that every one of his friends and family would come out of this experience _alive_.

When the stone elevator finally stopped, the sides slowly flowed back into the ground, leaving no evidence of how they reached the surface. The air still choked the senses. It was still the dark, scorched landscape as it had been before. Remnants of dilapidated skyscrapers scattered the surface. Some had fallen onto their sides, the broken debris surrounding its location. Some maintained their structure, but they, too, were unsteady and worn down.

It was too quiet.

Slade gave Raven a waking pat on the back. She stirred. After which he lowered her to ground. She stood there, blinking tried eyes, before she glanced up at him. The kitten pulled away from Slade’s boot and curled around Raven’s ankles.

“You all right, Rae?” asked Dick.

She nodded, rubbing her eyes with both hands. “Just tired.”

“She needs somewhere to hide,” said Slade, placing a hand onto Raven’s head. She looked up at him and shook her head.

“No, I want to stay with you.”

“Rae…” began Dick. He bit his lower lip, before taking a deep breath. “You should stay off the battlefield, all right? It’s better that way. The fight is going to be dangerous and—”

“No!” cried Raven. “There has to be something I can do.” Her young features fell suddenly and she dropped her head. “Even if I’m useless now. This form… I know you were hoping for my help…”

She sniffed softly.

Dick knelt down in front of her, gently lifting her chin, so that her glistening gaze met his. He gave her a smile.

“We didn’t come for your help, Raven,” whispered Dick. “We came for _you_. Even with the smallest glimmer of hope that you were alive was enough for me to come get you, no matter what. You’re family.” Raven was trying not to cry now, but was having difficulty in stopping the tears from slipping over. Dick grabbed her hands; they were small. “The most important thing you can do is to stay safe. Stay with Kuroi.”

There was another sniff. Raven nodded. She leaned against Slade for a moment, then she bent over and picked up Kuroi. While the kitten wasn’t as large as an adult cat, she still seemed big within Raven’s arms.

“Stay with Raven, all right, Kuro?” said Dick, stroking Kuroi’s head. The kitten mewled her consent. As Dick stood up, he turned his attention to Slade. “We better—”

A scream tore through the air.

Chills beyond anything Dick had ever experienced slid down his back like frosty, melting ice. He knew that voice. He had never heard her sound like that – she should _never_ have cause to scream like that.

Dick bolted.

“ _No_ , Dick, _wait!_ ”

Oh, but he wasn’t listening, yet again – though he didn’t know the frustration and anguish he was causing Slade; nor did it matter. All that mattered was reaching her. She had to be all right. It couldn’t be serious. It was normal, in battles, for problems to arise. Surely Starfire was all right.

But Dick knew this wasn’t an ordinary battle.

The landscape raced by as Dick ran faster than he’d ever done so before in his life. He kept his eyes on the crimson sky, looking for Starfire’s flying form. She would be fighting there, more than likely. Maybe Trigon had flying demons, too.

Oh, heaven forbid.

Then, he saw it: a solitary form in the sky. She was falling. Her form in the distance was small, suggesting she was falling from a high height. Without even needing to think about it, Dick was airborne with a grappling hook. The flight was, as the saying went, like riding a bike. Every part of his body knew what it was like to fly, even though he was nothing like Starfire, or even Raven, when it came to true ability.

But it didn’t matter. He flew in his own way, gaining altitude and swinging from building to building, running so fast that he never once lost his balance, even though he was horizontal. As he came to the edge of the latest building, he leapt into the air again, sending another grappling hook towards a dilapidated building – not once thinking about their precarious condition. His eyes were only on her.

Then, in midair, with absolute timing, he caught Starfire. He landed on the building in front, sliding slightly due to the slanted nature of the building. Dick quickly pulled out two boomerangs and connected them into another rapier, which he then stabbed into the surface of the building. He held onto it with a firm grip, while carefully maneuvering Starfire in his arms. She lay draped over his lap, her head resting in the crook of his left arm.

_There was so much blood._

Where her skin was visible, there wasn’t a spot not marred by some scratch or streak of blood. There were even a few gashes, some of which had dark, dried blood stopping the bleeding, while other still bled profusely. It wasn’t lost on Dick that she had been beaten heavily. She didn’t move in his arms, her hoarse breathing labored.

Dick’s hand tightened on the hilt of his rapier. His chest constricted with anxiety. He bowed his head, taking deep, calming breaths. He couldn’t lose his cool. Starfire didn’t need that. She needed help. She need an anchor of assurance and it was up to him to provide that for her.

For a few moments, she was unresponsive. Then, as Dick gently stroked the side of her arm, hoping that she would wake up, her eyes slowly opened. A small, relieved gasp broke her lips. Her eyes drunk in his gaze, as if she couldn’t believe who she was seeing. Tears filled her eyes. Slowly, her hand reached up and cupped his cheek. The tips of her fingers were chilled. She smiled weakly.

“I must be dreaming,” whispered Starfire.

Dick shook his head, tipping it towards her soft hand. He cleared his throat, swallowed, and gave her a smile, hoping it wasn’t as strained as he felt.

“We found Raven. We’re back.” He swallowed again; his jaw clenched for a moment. “I’m sorry for taking so long.”

Then, at the watery, yet overwhelmingly thankful smile he received from her, a strange but perfectly normal notion overtook his movements. He didn’t think about it before it happened and afterward he would never regret nor feel embarrassed for his actions.

Dick leaned down and kissed Starfire’s forehead.

When he pulled back, there was a startled expression across her face. Her cheeks were pink – though, she seemed pleasantly pleased by the display of affection.

Thus, Dick found he would most likely do that again, just to see that expression on her face.

A sharp clapping broke the moment. Dick’s head snapped upward; the air went out of his stomach. Standing so lightly on the surface, barely floating there, was Starfire – yet it wasn’t her. Her skin, her clothing all had that same, familiar grey coloring, except for the crimson eyes. Then, pure fear for his friends swept over Dick’s entire soul. They had _doppelgangers_ , just as he had. They would be just as bad, no doubt.

This battle was going to be worse than Dick had originally suspected.

“Oh, isn’t this adorable,” purred Dark Starfire. “What a touching display.” The mocking expression vindictively gagged. “I think I’ll be sick.” She sighed dramatically. “And I was so close to ending her, too.”

She was so different than Starfire, yet there were many elements that Dick could see were the same. The most noticeable difference, besides appearance, was that the doppelganger spoke in a more modern fashion than Starfire.

Dick tightened his hold on Starfire; his knuckles became white from their hold on his rapier.

“Oh, that look in your eyes… You want to kill me, don’t you?” whispered Dark Starfire, her crimson eyes glowing with malevolence. “The poster boy of light wants to kill me.” She laughed delightedly. “That look in your eyes says it all. Oh, you can’t deny it,” she purred. “After all, I’m the one who hurt your precious Starfire.”

Dick took another breath, forcing himself to be calm. If Starfire couldn’t defeat her counterpart, then she had to be extremely powerful. Dick wasn’t sure if he could take Starfire on a normal day by himself – and Blackfire had been more vicious in her attacks. With Slade, however, Dick was confident. But until the man showed up, charging in wasn’t the smart way of going about this. He had to remain calm and avoid rising to the bait of this creature.

“I have a bit of disappointing news for you, though,” continued Dark Starfire, her eyes glowing further. “You can’t attack me. Only Starfire can. And when I defeat my weaker side, I’ll become corporeal. Then, I’ll have Robin all to myself.”

A sharp growl echoed through Starfire’s throat. She pushed herself up inside Dick’s arms, glaring at her dark self.

“You most certainly will not.”

“Yeah, that’s never gonna happen,” said Dick, shaking his head. His arm supported Starfire as she continued to struggle upward. He didn’t stop her, even though there was a grimace on her face. “Starfire isn’t going to be defeated. _Ever_. She’s not weak.”

Dark Starfire laughed. She waggled her finger at him. “I do believe you misunderstand. I don’t mean _you_. And do you truly think your _precious_ Starfire is so pure and so perfect, don’t you? That’s why you like her. But there are things you don’t know about her. _Dark things_.”

“Of course, there are!” snapped Dick, huffing slightly. Good grief, were all these doppelgangers the same? Did they always have to talk so much? Baiting them was stupid. “Obviously everyone has a darker side, the side which is selfish; the side which thinks only about their self. I know it. I’ve got that, too. We all have our secrets. We all have things we rather no one know about. But that’s what makes us all living beings. Starfire wouldn’t be Starfire without her faults.”

Dark Starfire glared at them.

Then, before she could retort with a comeback, a shadow appeared from behind her. In retrospect, Dick probably would’ve found the moment downright disturbing, even though he didn’t now. Like a terrible beast taking down its prey, the shadow had appeared and swung a broadsword through the center of the doppelganger.

The sword went right through her midriff. Her form flickered for a moment, before it was restored. Dark Starfire laughed slightly, mockingly yawning with exaggeration. She glanced back at her would be attacker. “See? Only Starfire can touch me.”

While the sudden appearance of the attack had been shocking, the fact that it had been Slade who had been the one to attack so viciously somehow didn’t surprise Dick. He now ignored Dark Starfire, looking directly at Slade, who seemed both startled and annoyed that his attack had done nothing.

“Dad, over here,” said Dick, giving the man a beseeching look. Slade looked at him, his nostrils flaring in aggravation. He bypassed Dark Starfire, audibly growling.

“What happened to stealth?” snapped Slade. “Have you learned _nothing_ from me? Now you’ve alerted the enemies to your presence!”

“It’s not like we didn’t already know.”

The doppelganger was completely ignored.

“Dad,” whispered Dick, staring at the man as Slade came closer. The man knelt down next to him. “Star’s hurt.” Then, Dick dropped his voice, so Slade could only hear. “Please, you have to heal her.”

Slade looked at Dick with a dubious expression. He glanced over Starfire; his expression turned grim. “I thought we’ve been through this—”

“Dad, now’s not the time!” snapped Dick. Starfire stared at the pair of them, her eyes wide. “You’ve got to do this. For Starfire!”

Slade sat back on his heels; he shook his head.

“Dick… We talked about this. I can’t heal her. I don’t have that ability.”

“No?” snapped Dick, drawling out the word incredulously. “How did I get better, then? You know, when you thought I was immortal or something. That wasn’t a fluke, you know.”

“It was a coincidence,” said Slade, a growl beneath his tone.

“Either it was you or it was a miracle—”

“It _was not_ a miracle—”

“Then, it _had_ to be you!” shouted Dick. “You can’t have it both ways, Dad! Either way, you have to accept some kind of news you don’t want to hear! You _saw_ them. You had literal angels come and tell you that you have a gift! It’s not rocket science! It’s not like you didn’t make a healing serum with your blood and saliva! This isn’t that much of a step up, you know!”

“Angels?”

The anger slipped away in an instant at the soft, questioning voice of Starfire. She stirred in his arms, slowly rising to a sitting position. She glanced between Dick and Slade, who had folded his arms and was obviously trying to control his temper. Starfire looked back at Dick, her monochromatic eyes seeking him.

“Uh…” begin Dick, realizing Starfire might not know the term. He didn’t know much about Starfire’s planet, even though he had learned some Tamaranean. “Angels… Like heavenly beings. People who have lived and died.”

Slade huffed.

Starfire grabbed his arm, her eyes wide. It took her a moment to speak; she took a deep, nearly rasping breath.

“I saw Mother and Father,” whispered Starfire, her eyes nearly glowing. “They came and strengthened us. Everyone had someone they once knew come.”

Dick smiled, his heart rising. He touched her forearm in return. “I saw Mama.” Then, with a mischievous whisper, he added, “She scared Dad to death.”

Starfire let out a soft exhaling laugh. Slade growled even more. However, before the man could huff some more about it, Dick whirled back on him.

“Ya see?” snapped Dick, jerking a finger at Starfire, who squeaked in surprise. “The others saw angels, too. We don’t have time for your denial! I need you to heal Starfire. _Please, Dad!_ ”

“Oh, please, I am truly fine. There is no need—”

“It’s not that simple, Dick!”

“Of course, it is!”

“Please, you should not be fighting—”

Slade lifted a hand in the air, suddenly appearing alert. He jerked his head to the side, before he whipped around in search of something. After a moment, he glared back at Dick.

“Where is she?”

“Huh? Who?”

“The grey version of Starfire!” snapped Slade. “She’s gone!”

The air filled again with more arguing. At any other time – meaning when the world hadn’t ended with so many enemies still around – it would’ve been almost comical to see the pair of them going back and forth. It testified of the closeness that father and son held. Though, any arguing which went longer than a minute became annoying.

Luckily, it didn’t last that long – well, it depended what luck one imagined.

For the second time in the past five minutes, a scream penetrated the distance. It’s pitch, however, was much higher – that of a child.

“Raven!” cried Dick, looking in the direction of the scream. He looked back at Slade. “You left her alone?!”

“I left the cat,” retorted Slade, bolting to his feet. Dick gave him a horrified glare.

“ _Dad!_ ”

“Now, see? This is why I shouldn’t have been a parent!” said Slade, huffing yet again – but there was a glint of teasing in his eye. A second later, he turned serious. “And don’t look at me like that – we were _planning_ on leaving her alone, remember?”

Soft laughter stopped Dick from snapping back. Starfire held a hand over her mouth, her eyes closed with her amusement. She wiped a few tears away, before she looked at them.

“For such a long time, I did not think I would ever smile again nor have cause to do so.” Then, she took a deep breath and carefully stood up, refusing Dick’s help on the way. “Let us go save Raven.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:54 am.**

Raven ran. She ran faster than she ever had in her life. Yet her tiny legs wouldn’t take her far. In the back recesses of her mind, she knew her legs were supposed to be longer. She knew she was supposed to be different, but all the old remnants of who she had been were gone. They were nothing more than distant memories, even though they too felt as if they were someone else.

Not her.

Tears rushed down her cheeks. She tripped; she skidded forward on her front, rocks and earth scraping her folded arms, which were clutching the black kitten. The kitten let out a howl of protest when they landed on the ground. Raven uncurled her arms and the kitten darted away, disappearing into the crevices of nearby debris. As Raven pushed herself to her scratched and bleeding knees, a sob of despair broke through her chest. With blurry vision, she looked around, but the kitten was gone.

Well, it had been useless to run, anyway. It didn’t matter now.

She slowly turned around, looking upward into the face of her pursuer.

Crimson skin; crimson eyes; contrasting gleaming white teeth – Trigon gazed down at her with obvious dark pleasure, as if he were pleased at her appearance, yet still viewed her beneath him.

“Raven, my dear daughter. How I’ve missed you.”

_I remember him lying. He’s lying now. He’s a liar._

“Why do you run from your father?”

_You were always cruel, weren’t you? You did this to me. You forced me to do something against my will. What I wanted didn’t matter. You didn’t care about me. You didn’t come for me. Dick did._

“I would never harm you, my dear daughter.”

It sounded like a curse from his lips. She couldn’t bear to hear it any more. The memory of how Slade held her in his arms rose in her mind. She wasn’t even his and yet he’d been so gentle. He’d been so kind to her. He had adopted Dick, hadn’t he? They weren’t even blood related and yet they acted like a father and son – even more close than most families.

That was the ideal, wasn’t it? That was something to be wanted, to be desired, and someday, to be achieved.

Raven couldn’t ever hope to have that.

Trigon’s towering form leaned down closer. Raven didn’t move. The hope she had felt before was gone. It didn’t matter any more. How would Trigon kill her? She was of no use to him now. Would he crush her beneath his hands? Would she feel pain? Or would she simply vanish, never to be remembered again?

Trigon’s large hand lowered down. Raven cringed backwards, her eyes squeezing shut, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t bring herself to run away any more. Would Dick forgive her for giving up? _I’m sorry, Dick_. Hopefully the end would be quick.

“My dear daughter, not running away now, are you?” purred Trigon. Something warm, yet everlastingly uninviting caressed her cheek. “You’ve come at the right time. My power has been restored; my curse is gone. Now you will see your father in his glory – what should’ve been mine from the beginning.”

The warmth still stroked her cheek. The voice sounded close, not like the booming, bone-chilling voice that Trigon usually had. What touched her cheek felt smaller than what should’ve been possible. With her eyes closed, she couldn’t know what was going on. And yet… that touch… felt so much like a gentle hand.

“Come, my daughter, behold your father in his true form.”

Raven whimpered.

“ _Shh_ , there is nothing to fear,” purred Trigon, his voice tantalizingly soft and inviting.

The warmth moved to the top of her head. Somehow, it felt nice, something like Slade had done earlier. Her heart yearned for it. It was different than what she had experienced with the monks of Azarath. They had never been so demonstrative, more especially with her. Was it bad she wanted someone to be nice to her like this?

Slowly, ever so slowly, she opened her eyes.

The towering figure of Trigon was gone.

A man stood in front of her. In his countenance, there was an expression of power, yet his features seemed to gaze fondly at her. There was no softness in his eyes, however, which were a crimson, blood red. His skin was pale, absurdly so, yet it not a colorless pale. White hair brushed over his shoulders, thick strands framing his regal face. The only hint as to whom this could be was his clothing, which were similar to Trigon’s clothing – only a metal plate around his lower waist; the white loin cloth around his hips; his chest bare, his legs bare, and his feet bare.

He looked so human, yet he permeated everlasting power. There were no horns; there were no hooves; there were no creature like features – and he had only two eyes.

A devastating amount of pure fear swept over Raven.

She screamed.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:56 am.**

Rose was laughing.

Unfortunately, it was the way she was laughing that disturbed Joey. It ruined the moment, to say the least. And while he could barely wrap his mind around what had just happened and what he had been told, her laughing like a maniacal madman didn’t really lift his spirits – nor did it reassure him that the message had been legitimate.

 _“Rose, could you stop that?”_ asked Joey, his voice soft. She didn’t hear him. Joey sighed, feeling overwhelmed now. He wasn’t sure if immortality should be in the hands of someone like Rose.

Then, Rose suddenly stopped. With a satisfied smirk, she lifted a hand in the air. She took a deep breath, then she turned slightly, facing down a landscape filled with ruins. Determination entered her eyes. With a sharp swing, she threw her arm outward towards the ruins.

The instant her hand extended outward, the ground broke apart in the landscape. Joey gasped and grabbed some nearby debris for support; the earth beneath his feet shook from the pressure. The shattering of debris and ruins pierced the air. Brown and black dust fumed into the air.

Joey could only stare at the mass destruction Rose had inflicted on an already destroyed land.

Rose dropped her hand and whirled around to face him, grinning broadly from ear to ear. She clapped her hands together, looking like a child on Christmas morning.

“All right, I could get used to this.” She nodded, still grinning madly. “Yup, yup, this I could get used to, very much so.”

Once again, Joey questioned the sanity of those Archangels.

“Whoa,” gasped Beast Boy, from behind them. His voice was hoarse and raspy. Joey turned to them, relief flooding through his veins. With a delighted cry, Rose rushed to Beast Boy’s side, who had been held up by Cyborg.

“You can say that again,” said Cyborg, staring at the Rose’s handiwork. He sounded weak and breathless. “Since when could you do that?”

“Apparently, always,” said Rose, taking the support of Beast Boy onto herself. A moment later, Cyborg collapsed onto the ground, bending his knees and resting his arms there. Beast Boy went limp in Rose’s arms and she carefully lowered him to the ground as well. Beast Boy laid on his back, breathing heavily with difficulty.

“We’ve lost Starfire,” whispered Beast Boy. “I don’t know where she is or if she’s all right…”

“ _Shh,_ ” murmured Rose, running a hand through his bangs. “I’m sure she’ll be all right.”

Though, at the glance she gave Joey, it was apparent she was worried now.

Joey came to Cyborg’s side, kneeling down beside him. Both boys looked terrible. A number of circuits had been shorted out; parts of Cyborg’s metal body had become black due to electrical issues – at least, from best what Joey could see and understand. He was an artist, not a mechanic – no matter how much he wished he had taken an interest in the subject, just for the sake helping Cyborg now.

Beast Boy’s clothes were more torn than ever. There wasn’t a spot on his body that wasn’t smeared with dried or fresh blood.

Joey suddenly wanted his father. The Archangels had said the man could heal. When Joey had first heard that, he’d been somewhat jealous. Out of all the gifts, he would’ve rather had that. Persuasion and leadership? That sounded something that Slade would’ve been good at – or even power, since Joey questioned the safety and wisdom in letting Rose have that. If Joey had healing abilities, it would’ve been so easy to save Beast Boy and Cyborg. He could’ve believed it. He could’ve accepted it.

But as it was, the strangeness of the ‘so called’ gifts didn’t seem fitting to each personality – well, Rose’s fit, but once again, it was like they were asking for trouble.

“Joey!”

At the sound of his name, Joey’s head snapped up. _“What? What’s wrong?”_

Rose let out an exasperated sigh.

“Did you hear me calling you? Weren’t you listening to me at all? We need to move them away from here. Their dark jerkselves will find them and finish them off. They aren’t in any condition to fight and we can’t protect them!”

Joey nodded.

_“All right, then. I’ll help Cyborg; you take Beast Boy.”_

Somehow, opening his mouth and letting his voice be heard seemed much more difficult than it used to be. He’d been so proud to use his voice when he had learned it had been healed. He hadn’t been able to wait to speak, call out withhis voice to his father after so many years of being mute. Now, it felt like a burden – or like a curse.

As the two of them began to help Beast Boy and Cyborg, a high pitched scream in the distance could be heard. Joey frowned. That sounded like a child, but… Since when were anyone else alive besides them?

Beast Boy bolted upright. His entire body shuddered in pain, yet his face betrayed none of it. His eyes were wide. He slowly turned towards Rose.

“ _That’s_ … That sounded like Raven.”

 _“Raven isn’t a child,”_ said Joey, seeing the pure horror and panic flooding through the boy’s face. _“It can’t be—”_

“It’s Raven,” whispered Beast Boy. “I _know_ her voice.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 10:58 am.**

They didn’t waste any more time arguing, blessed day; though, it did take a few reassurances from Starfire – that she was able to move and even fly now on her own – for Dick to not hover over her. She flew ahead of them, her eyes scanning the ground for Raven. She hadn’t even blinked when Dick told her about Raven’s condition, something for which Dick was grateful.

But Raven wasn’t in the same location Slade had left her. Without Beast Boy, they couldn’t track her. Thankfully, another scream, this time more like a sob, sent them in the right direction. Dick could only hope and pray that Raven would be all right by the time they reached her.

However, they didn’t get far. Suddenly, Dick tripped over something. There was a sharp whine of pain, as he ended up tripping over a bloodhound transformed Beast Boy, causing him to land fall face forward onto the ground. Beast Boy became tangled in his legs. At the same time, Slade managed to grab Joey by the shoulders, effectively stopping them from smashing into each other.

“ _Daddy!_ ” cried Rose, utter relief throughout her tone. She jumped at the man, causing both her father and brother to finally lose their balance. With a low curse, Slade fell back, still holding onto Joey’s shoulders in the process. They landed in a heap on the ground.

Dick made a mental note to tease Slade about his language later on.

“Good grief, Rose,” muttered Slade. She had thrown her arms around his neck and was clinging to him like a monkey with a banana.

“You’re alive!”

“With the way you’re strangling me, I might not be soon!”

But the girl didn’t stop hugging him. Even Joey had taken the opportunity to give the man a squeeze around the waist. Slade dropped his head back against the ground and let out a low sigh.

“As much as I’m happy to see you both alive and well, our pressing problem is Raven. So, get up!”

As the three of them got off the ground, Dick and Beast Boy untangled themselves from their fall. Dick felt a pang inside his heart at the sight of the younger boy. Cyborg himself didn’t look any better.

“Man, am I happy to see you guys,” said Beast Boy. Then, he grew concerned again. “We heard Raven scream. Where is she?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” said Dick, getting to his feet. There was a brief acknowledging nod between himself and Cyborg, before Dick turned back to Beast Boy. “Can you track her?”

Beast Boy nodded. “She’s close.”

No one paused. Beast Boy led the way, his long ears flopping wildly. He barked once. Time seemed to speed up for Dick. Everything was happening so fast, he couldn’t help but worry whether something was off. But he pushed those thoughts away and focused on running. It was only a few moments, before Raven, _thankfully_ , came into sight.

“Raven!” cried Dick. He skidded to a halt. Raven was crouching on the ground, her hands over her head. She rocked back and forth on her heels, sobbing quietly. Kuroi wasn’t anywhere to be seen. In front of Raven, a man was standing in front of her, leaning over her form. He straightened, slowly rising to his height, which had to be around, if not taller than, Slade’s height.

A chill entered Dick’s heart.

That was the first impression that Dick got. This man had immense power. _Something wasn’t right_. This wasn’t a survivor. His clothes were too strange for that. Was this one of the demon generals that the Archangels had mentioned? But hadn’t that black demon been one of them? This man… he looked so human – so normal.

Although, walking around in those clothes – _or lack thereof_ – wasn’t exactly normal.

“Who’re you?” asked Dick, still tense. “What are you doing to Raven?”

The man turned slightly. His movements reeked of some unknown power, even beyond Dick’s initial thought. It was suffocating just to look at him.

“What makes you think I’ve done anything to her, Richard?”

Dick inhaled sharply; his eyes widened; his head reared backwards. _This man knew his name?_ A smug, nearly sinister expression molded the man’s features.

“You accuse me, yet you do not recognize me. What an insignificant, worthless boy, you are.”

Dick narrowed his eyes.

“I suggest you refrain from speaking to my son that way, Trigon,” hissed Slade, glaring at the man. Dick gaped, whipping his head back to the strange man; there was a smug, triumphant expression on his face. The group followed suit, staring at Trigon in absolute shock.

“Wait, _you’re_ Trigon?” asked Dick, shock and incredulity pouring through his tone. “But you look human!”

“Indeed. This has been the goal all along.”

“Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ ,” said Rose, holding up her hands and motioning with them each time she spoke the word. “Whoa, no. You are _not_ allowed to look like that.”

“Excuse me?” whispered Trigon, his crimson eyes glowing ominously.

“You cannot look like _that_ – all sexy like,” said Rose, motioning wildly in his direction. Beast Boy choked. “That’s just not in the everyday villain job description.”

 _“Rose!”_ gasped Joey, visibly appalled.

“What? I’m being serious here! He should have, I dunno, horn and a tail—” She broke off instantly. A strange expression began to mold through her features, before an obviously mischievous grin settled there. Her entire face lit with it. She lift a finger in the air and twirled it once. “Would you… turn around for me?”

_“Rose!”_

Now Joey’s voice had nearly squeaked its shock.

“What?” said Rose, completely unapologetically. She gestured to Trigon. “I mean, look at him. He’s shirtless, for crying out loud. What, you can’t appreciate it?” Silence. “What, is it just me?” She glanced around. Everyone stared at her. She nodded to herself. “Just me, then. All right. Well, still…” She gestured again, as if this answered everything.

Joey whipped his head towards Slade. _“Dad, do something about her, will you?”_

Slade threw his hands into the air. “Don’t look at me; she’s your sister.”

_“That statement only works with Mom!”_

“As amusing as all your tit-for-tats are,” began Trigon, his clear, yet dark voice rising above all others. “I do believe I have a war to finish.”

Then, with inhuman speed, Trigon vanished. A second later, he appeared in front of Slade. The man didn’t have time to react. Trigon smashed a flat palmed hand into his stomach. Slade was sent instantly back from the force of the blow. The sound of his body slamming into buildings and debris blasted through the air.

“ _DAD!_ ”

Three horrified voices echoed in unison.

As the dust settled, there was a low moan and a fit of pained coughing; then, debris and rubble moved as Slade stood up. Dust clung to his suit and skin. A red gash had torn through his cheek, downward to his jaw. Blood slipped down in a single trail. He stood there for a moment, glaring at Trigon with grim determination, and before Dick’s eyes, he could see the gash on the man’s face slowly knit back together, leaving only fresh blood behind as evidence.

“How many times will I tear through your unnatural flesh,” whispered Trigon, his voice filled with seductive malevolence. “Before it will no longer answer the healing’s call?”

“However many times needed before I end you,” said Slade, with pure loathing in his tone. Trigon’s entire face seemed to glow in dark excitement.

“Oh, I will enjoy your struggles.”

Trigon exploded after Slade.

It was a fight of absolute power. Dick had seen Slade in a few seemingly inhuman battles before, but this was on a completely different level. For the first time, Dick feared for Slade. To see someone fight blow for blow with Slade at a speed Dick could barely keep track of, let alone keep up with himself, was disturbing.

What was most frightening was that Slade visibly was having trouble against Trigon.

There wasn’t much time to observe their fight, however.

Foreboding poured through every section of Dick’s soul. He’d known it was coming. He’d known this would be a battle like nothing he’d ever experienced. But seeing the distance filled with never ending enemies brought its truth close to his heart. Demons upon fire demons rose out of the ground. They weren’t like the first, inhuman fire demons. These were like the one Slade had summoned so long ago, though they were of human size height.

It was like every enemy knew it was time. The three dark doppelgangers arrived next. Dark Cyborg cracked his knuckles, while Dark Beast Boy, in Velociraptor form, roared. Dark Starfire smirked. Cyborg’s face slipped into impassive grimness, while Beast Boy whimpered with growing determination. Starfire only looked at her opponent with a detached expression. It was with their arrival that Dick wondered if they would get through this alive. It seemed improbable that no one would get seriously injured or perhaps…

Dick gritted his teeth. He whipped out his rapiers, readying himself into a stance. As if he was about to let _anything_ happen to his friends. He wouldn’t run. He wouldn’t worry. He would just fight.

Nothing was said as the vast army of fire demons continued to flow out of the landscape. Each glanced at the other, with a resigned determination in each face. The number of enemies far exceeded what had attacked Dick and Slade in the underground. The numbers foretold failure, yet such an outcome was ignored and resisted.

Then, that same terrible feeling Dick had experienced enveloped the air – that burning, choking feeling which clutched his heart with a fist of iron. It appeared: black, misty sludge poured out of the ground, slowly forming upward into a humanoid figure. As the last of the sludge solidified into form, the black demon grinned malevolently at the group.

“I am the Fifth of five,” whispered the black demon, baring gleaming white teeth in his dark smile. It let out a low, wispy laugh. “Your graves will be my gift to my master—”

Before it could say anything more, a blast of power rushed by in a great _whoosh_. In a tremendous explosion, a fifth of the fire demon army had been destroyed. The black demon gaped in shock, staring at the carnage. Though it had little effect on the actual army, since already more fire demons poured out of the ground to replace the missing units, it did do a wonderful job at flooring everyone.

“Whoops,” said Rose in a bored voice. “Did I miss you? My bad. I _won’t_ next time.”

The black demon hissed, baring its fangs. It let out a terrible, chilling scream of rage. But before it could attack, another wave of that same terrible feeling entered the air. It felt even more dark and sinister than the wave created by the black demon, its power far greater as well. Next to the black demon, another pile of black sludge poured out of the ground. Chilling laughter echoed through it.

“Do not tell me you are being bested in wits by a mortal child, Fifth.”

This voice, though similar to the black demon’s, had a more feminine quality to it. Though, that was debatable.

The sludge formed into another black demon. It stood next to the first, its glowing eyes filled with amusement.

“Fourth,” hissed the first black demon. “Where are the others?”

“Detained,” it replied, sounding both bored and annoyed. The black demon hissed furiously to this answer. The other one shrugged lightly. “It matters not. I will eliminate the enemy for our master.”

“I have claim on them first.”

“Hm… We shall see about that.”

Then, the earth shook. Ground, dirt, and rock gaped opened, releasing a hoard of creatures. The clicking of feet echoed like a monstrous beast. Thousands of scorpion enemies, just as Dick and his friends had defeated so many weeks ago, poured out of the ground with a never ending stream. On top of that, hundreds of them had smaller ones on their backs.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” whispered Beast Boy.

Dick had been prepared for this and he still couldn’t help but feel the same.

Another blast shattered apart the ground. Debris blew in all directions, raining the group in its dirt. About fifty feet away, Slade struggled to his feet. He coughed hoarsely.

Trigon approached the group. “My servants have come. Your struggle will be useless,” he said, his voice soft, yet overbearing. He turned to his two Generals. His eyes narrowed briefly. “You both will give me their submission. I want them to cry out to me. I want them to acknowledge me as their master. Do whatever it takes.”

Then, Trigon turned his head towards Dick; his lip curled and his eyes gleamed. At the sudden attention from Trigon, Dick tensed, waiting for the attack.

“And I mustn’t forget… My most faithful,” whispered Trigon, his eyes smiling darkly. He flicked a hand in Dick’s direction. A moment later, red markings appeared beneath Dick’s feet; the crimson light crackling along the designs. Dick sucked in his breath. _Oh, man, this can’t be good…_ “I think it is time to greet an old friend, hm? You know him well, don’t you, Richard? _Come forth, my servant!_ ”

 _Pain_.

Terrible pain ravaged Dick’s entire body at that command. He wasn’t aware of it, the pain was too much, but he was screaming – screaming so loud his voice would be hoarse. It felt as if every nerve inside his body was on fire. It was so intense, he wondered how long he could last against it. He needed it to stop; the liquid fire in his soul needed to stop burning.

Then, the pain slowly began to recede, his mind reawaking to his situation. However, it didn’t last long. New pain exploded in his chest, just as a grey hand burst out of his flesh there. The hand hadn’t torn his skin, though; yet, somehow, it still managed to be the most painful thing he had ever experienced.

The hand extended out, slowly causing a head to appear. Terror gripped Dick’s heart as he saw just _who_ was coming out of his body. The all too familiar smirk lifted that grey face, the one which had once haunted Dick’s nights. There was a dark glimmer of light that graced those crimson red eyes. Then, the pain came to its climax. With a cry bursting from his mouth, Dick was thrown back as the enemy broke from him. Another cry tore his throat as he landed against the harsh terrain.

Dick looked up at his foe, terror filling his heart as he saw the mirror image of himself, yet completely grey. The doppelganger lifted his hands into the arms, sharp laughter rising into the air. His cold, empty voice laughed with a hollowed, chilling nature – just enough to send shivers down Dick’s spine.

Then, he turned around to face Dick, whose breath caught inside his throat at the sight of those bloodcurdling crimson eyes. _It was him_. This was the same creature who had terrorized his dreams. The doppelganger’s face lifted, an almost crazed look flashing throughout his grey features. His eyes were wide with a sick thrill, his lips curving upwards as further dark laughter poisoned the air.

_How can I not fear him?_

“ _It’s about time!_ ” He threw back his head with another bark of laughter. Then, he looked directly into Dick’s eyes. “Let’s play, my dear, _little_ _robin!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time on December 18th, Friday (Six weeks):** Chapter Thirty-Five: The Dying Hero – Even with all the help from the other side of Veil, winning and surviving the battle appears to be an impossible task. As the four Titans continue to battle their dark selves with no end in sight, Joey and Rose fight the two Generals of Trigon’s armies. With a never ending replenishing army, there’s little hope to overcoming them, though. Dick must find a weakness in their dark selves or else the light of the heroes will be snuffed out.


	35. Notice of Temporary Hiatus

This is not an update, unfortunately. Even more unfortunately, this is not a pleasant notice. I'm afraid something has come up and I have to put _Into the Depths_ on hiatus temporarily. I can't give a date of when I'll be able to post again, however. I really, really don't want to do this. I've avoided it thus far, but I can't right now. I'm so sorry, my dear readers. While I can't give a date of when I'll be able to post, I can promise that I won't abandon this story. I will finish it. And as this is the first time I've not been able to meet the deadline I've given, hopefully you can be assured that I mean it. I understand the feeling of reading abandoned stories and wouldn't wish that on any one of my readers.

Thank you all for your support in reading my stories. I really hope this will be a short hiatus, just as much as you. *hugs to you all*

_Anthy_

 


	36. The Dying Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Lifts hand*
> 
> YO!
> 
> And yes, that's me in a far too dramatic and poorly attempt at being cool to say, "I'M BACK, MY DEAR READERS."
> 
> Man, it's a beautiful thing to be back. It's a beautiful thing to be a writer. I've got fun news for my readers.
> 
> It's been crazy and wonderful and a little bit like, "Good grief, has it been this long already?" Well, I learned a few things, did a lot of things: played too much Summoners War, binge watched Natsume's Book of Friends at least twice, learned I use 'then' waaaay too much (Funny story, that.), got a puppy for the first time, and… caught my Mom in my arms as she had a stroke. Four days later, the day before Thanksgiving, I had to say goodbye to her. It’s been a tough hiatus.
> 
> So, yeah. I have so much I wanna tell you all, but I don't want a huge author's note (cause, ya'll know it's gonna grow). I do have a HUGE announcement to talk about, but I think I'll let you get to the story first. I realize it's been awhile. :)

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

**The Dying Hero**

 

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 11:00 am.**

There was a difference between fighting a villain and fighting an army. At fifteen years old, it was something Dick shouldn’t have ever learned the true meaning of – and in that moment, it was enough to age him. All around him there was chaos. It wasn’t the happy chaos that could happen around a breakfast table. It wasn’t the heated chaos that could happen during a rather intense video game session.

It was the chaos of war.

Dick had always been the leader of the Teen Titans. He’d always directed his team to the best of his ability and the odds had generally been in the Teen Titans’ favor. Rarely had they had more opponents – or rather, worthy opponents – than team members. Slade’s army of robots never counted.

But on this field—on this battlefield, they were _vastly_ outnumbered.

Dick had no time to think. He had no time to look out for the others. He could only dodge and react. There were too many things coming at him at once. Not only did he have to fight his doppelganger, he had to avoid the countless siege of demons and demon scorpions.

Dick had heard a few stories about wartime from Slade and Wintergreen – but actually living through it was an experience Dick would _never_ forget.

The sound was deafening. The cacophony clashed against the ears, meshing, melding together with no ability to zero in on a single source. The earth shook from the mass army of scorpions, their clacking feet adding to the wave of sound. Fear pressed at all sides of Dick’s heart and mind. It sunk deep into his soul, as if trying to poison him with its toxin.

How it easy it was to let the fear and despair conquer his soul. With the enemy numbers so enormous, it was all too easy to give up. The weak voice of his heart whispered, _“We’re all going to die anyway. Why bother to fight?”_

But on he fought.

In the midst of the battle, Dick forced himself to think of the light he’d experienced. Their lives weren’t the only ones on the line. Everyone who lived on the earth and who would live were counting on them to win. With that determination burning in his chest, Dick pushed the despair back, not allowing it place inside his heart.

His doppelganger rushed forward through the battle throng, those glowing red eyes alight with bloodlust. Dick slashed one rapier to the side, catching a nearby demon in the heart. It shattered into raining fire, before its pieces slipped into the ravaged earth. At that same moment, his other rapier swung forward to block the doppelganger’s attack. Blade clashed against outstretched hand.

Dick ducked backward, just in time to avoid a clawed attack to his face. He dropped down, his eyes widening at the sight of long fingernails. His doppelganger chuckled, the darkness bleeding through that all too familiar voice. Oh, how it sounded so _awful_ to hear that tone in his own voice.

“I’ve waited too long to play with you, little Robin,” said the doppelganger, his voice rising above the clash of the surrounding battle – and yet it sounded like a whisper. “I have watched your suffering so far and do you know what I think?”

Dick drew in a deep breath, his heart pounding against his chest.

_He’s trying to poison my mind. I can’t let him get to me._

“I think I’ve let you have it easy. I _hate_ what you’ve become. What you’ve let yourself become. Oh, before, you were so much better. Anyone would agree with me—even your _friends_ like Robin better. This—” The dark boy gestured at Dick. “—this is a waste of space. But don’t worry. It’s not all lost. I’ll make you suffer and then, when playtime is over, I’ll take your place.”

A chill slid down Dick’s back in spite of himself.

“Everyone will like me better.”

His doppelganger attacked.

It was difficult to dodge in these conditions. His doppelganger rushed at him, with only his hands as his choice of weapons, forcing Dick to retreat. He bumped into demons at every movement and struggled to avoid getting attacked by both at the same time. This would’ve been hard enough in a one on one fight, without this freaking army to interfere.

As Dick sliced through nearby demons and dodged a few attacks from his dark self, he was overcome with the knowledge that this doppelganger was just as powerful as he was – and in some ways, more powerful. Battling against his own self was far different than just talking with him in his dreams. The fear threatened to grab his heart again, like the clawed hands of his doppelganger.

Dark Robin ducked beneath the swing of one of the rapiers. A moment later, he grabbed the other blade and ripped it out of Dick’s grasp. With a devious grin, Dark Robin smeared his own blood across his face, the red stark against the grey skin. Dick changed his stance, doubling his grip on his last rapier.

“You can’t run to Daddy now,” said Dark Robin, his tone filled with mocking. He lifted a hand. The surrounding demons backed away at that command, forming a small clearing. They clustered together, blocking all paths around them. “It’s just you and me.”

He’d have to defeat his doppelganger before he could help his friends. Dick drew in a deep breath.

“I was never planning on running to _Daddy_.”

Dick charged.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 11:05 am.**

He saw Trigon’s eyes every time.

Every time the beast attacked him, Slade could only see those eyes, which were filled with a void that couldn’t be understood – the depths of such darkness unlike anything that had ever existed within the world and, perhaps, the universe.

He wanted to focus on the war. He wanted to fight beside his children. But he couldn’t even keep track of them while Trigon attacked with such ferocity. The fight became a blur. Slade had never fought on such an intense level, where his opponent outclassed him in every aspect.

He didn’t even have time to draw his sword.

There was a explosive attack that send Slade flying into the ruins of a tall building. The metal crumbled like sandstone and Slade fell forward. He rushed to the ground. He block with his arms, just as another attack blasted him into the building. He skidded against the grey floor, smashing into a desk. Charred office supplies scattered.

Slade bolted forward, pulling himself to his feet. There was a pause that made him look up. Trigon stood in the room, his upper lip curled with a sneering snarl.

“I despise all immortals,” hissed Trigon.

“And I despise politicians,” retorted Slade. “But you don’t see me trying to kill them.”

_Without getting paid…_

Trigon bolted into another attack. It was too fast to block.

The crimson sky above burst into view. Pain exploded in Slade’s back; debris shattered, the _boom_ echoing through the air. His chest burned; his ribs had punctured his lungs, making it nearly impossible to breathe. Just as he felt the pain, he could feel his body trying to heal itself.

Slade glared up into Trigon’s face.

“Earth is my dominion and yet they always have to put immortals here – ones that I have no influence over.”

He coughed, dust exhaling from his lungs and blood tainting his lips.

“They made a mistake this time, though,” whispered Trigon. “ _You_ don’t have their protections. They gave you favor, but they didn’t give you all you needed – you must not be important to them.”

Slade knew physiological warfare well. He’d seen it. He’d employed it. It’d been used on him. Generally, however, such warfare needed to make sense for it actually be effective.

“What are you babbling about?”

“You don’t know?” said Trigon with a laugh. “The other immortals of this world cannot be influenced. They cannot even feel pain. They cannot be hurt. Yet, you and your _spawn_ are different. You feel pain. You can be killed over and over again, only to be rejected by the Heavens, forced to feel that pain for eternity. They must hate you more than I do.”

For a moment, Trigon stared at him, as if waiting to see what affect those words had on him. Slade could only look back, a strange mixture of emotion rising inside his chest. It came out of his mouth in a burst of laughter.

“Oh, this is ridiculous. Your attempts are pathetic. You think with a few choice words that they’ll have any effect on my fighting?” Slade barked another laugh. His tone dropped. “You’re messing with the wrong man, Trigon.”

Trigon narrowed his eyes.

“Actions, then.” There was a pause. “How well will you be able to protect your son? The one who is _not_ immortal? How easy it will be for my servant to destroy that vulnerable child whom you love so much. How easy it will then be to destroy _you_ and the rest of your unnatural spawn.”

The fear finally gripped Slade’s heart.

“And… I’m going to make you _watch_.”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 11:10 am.**

He was being stupid, but he couldn’t help it. Beast Boy had to protect her. No one else was paying attention to her. The others were, understandably, busy. He had no idea how he was going to fight his double _and_ protect Raven, but he sure was gonna try.

His dark self was chasing him, though.

At the start of the immense battle, Beast Boy had grabbed Raven when everything escalated into a huge brawl – like one of those westerns where everyone got into a fight at the bar. Dodging through demons with Raven in his arms had been easy in his beastwolf form. Within a few moments, he found a crevice in between some ruins that was perfect for hiding. He transformed back into a human and squeezed inside

“Oooh, Beast Boy, where are you?” asked Dark Beast Boy, a sing song pleasure in his voice. “You can’t run forever. I knew you were weak, but I guess I didn’t realize you were the weakest link.”

He laughed.

Beast Boy shuddered, hating his own voice. There was no way to get rid of him, though. He had to hide Raven somewhere safe. She was so small.

“What’re you doing?” whispered Raven, her thin arms clinging tightly around his neck. “He’s gonna find you and kill you.”

“I know.”

There was a sharp intake of breath. “Then, why are doing this?” cried Raven. “Why do you care? I’ll be fine by myself. You should run away, find somewhere to be safe—”

“Raven…”

Her arms tightened around his neck, her face buried there. Beast Boy hugged her, his arms tightening like hers. He felt the hot tears as the dropped onto his neck.

“This is all my fault,” cried Raven in a soft whisper. “All my fault.”

“No, Raven, it’s not your fault. It’s Trigon’s fault. Don’t ever forget that.”

A face appeared at the entrance of the crevice. It grinned.

“Found you!”

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 11:12 am.**

When Joey had died, it’d been the first time he had understood true pain. He hadn’t known how awful it would be to die. It’d been a different kind of pain, one that wasn’t like the pain of a headache, or a cut, or a stomachache, or getting shot – no, it was the pain of something missing. When he had died for the brief moment in time, he had felt the split between spirit and body.

It was as if he’d never be whole again.

As quickly as that moment had come, he’d been restored.

The pain he felt now was also different.

Rose fought like a wild animal against one of the demon generals. She had a ferocity unlike anything Joey had seen in someone before. She seemed to fit right into her role. She didn’t have to question anything. Why wasn’t it that simple for him?

 _A voice of leadership, of power, of wisdom, of persuasion_ – what did any of that mean? He had no power of persuasion or leadership. His voice had never been powerful. It hadn’t even had a chance to grow into adulthood. Now, his voice was more a wispy tenor, like the element of his power. Where was the power in that? He didn’t have his father’s voice. That man could scare the crap out of anyone with his voice.

How could he convince anyone of anything when he’d always been too shy? How could he be a leader when it was obvious that Slade and Dick were far better suited to such a thing? What more could Joey do that they couldn’t do better?

There wasn’t any time to think about it, though. There wasn’t any time to watch over the others – make sure they were okay. While Rose focused on one general and its army, Joey had to take care of this one – and all of its scorpions.

He really hated bugs.

ooOOOOOoo

**June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 11:18 am.**

Dick gritted his teeth, his strength growing weaker. How long would this take? How much longer before his doppelganger would grow tired, too? Where did they get their energy? As Dick grew weaker, his doppelganger only seemed to grow stronger – what was he missing here?

Through the fight, Dick had tried ignore what the other said, but it was getting difficult.

_‘You’re weak.’_

_‘You’re pathetic.’_

_‘You’ll never win.’_

_‘You’ll watch everyone die.’_

_‘It’s your fault.’_

_‘You could’ve been better, but now there’s no hope to save you.’_

But there was something interesting to Dick. Instead of hearing those words and feeling torn down by them, they only seemed to amuse him, as if they were mere childish efforts to shatter his focus. In all honesty, the constant barrage was just annoying.

“You changed so much after becoming a Daddy’s boy.”

At this, Dick couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. He shook his head, closing his eyes briefly with a long sigh. Okay, that one was getting old. For crying out loud, just because he had a parent now, everyone had to poke fun at it in the stupidest of ways. It wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the nasty rumors that people had spread when he’d been the ward to Bruce Wayne, but still – did anyone think before they opened their mouth any more?

“Awe, is the little baby Dickie gonna cry now?” said Dark Robin in a mocking, high voice.

Dick snorted. “Does it look like I’m crying?” he asked lightly. “I think you’re confused. You’re too distracted, Robin. Keep this up and I’ll win.”

Dark Robin growled, his lips rippling like an animal. With a cry of fury, he launched at Dick, slamming him into the ground. Dick’s head smashed against the earth.

Blackness filled his vision.

ooOOOOOoo

Grey.

Everything was grey. Somehow, Dick knew it shouldn’t be grey. But he couldn’t remember what it should be. Where was he? He was standing up. Hadn’t he been lying down? This place looked familiar. There were gears overhead. But they were silent. They were supposed to make noise, weren’t they?

There was a man. A glow burned inside Dick’s heart, the glow of some emotion that he couldn’t remember. Why couldn’t he remember? What was he missing? Was this a good emotion? Or was it something else?

Dick stepped forward, wanting to be closer.

But there was a mask on the man’s face. That wasn’t right. The mask wasn’t supposed to be there. The man was hiding from him. But there wasn’t any need for that – not now, not after everything they had been through.

A dark grey eye glimmered with the shadows.

Wait.

What had they been through?

Color rushed forward. The memories realigned. As Dick stood there, standing in front of the man who had filled the void within his heart, a chill entered his soul. That grey blue eye had no light, had no gentle glow to it – no, what glowed there was the old flare of darkness.

The man slammed Dick against the wall, a punch connecting into his stomach immediately afterward. As Dick doubled over with pain, a knee slammed into his chest. Air rushed out of Dick’s lungs. He gasped for breath as harsh hands slammed him against the wall.

“Your disobedience will not be tolerated, Robin.”

_Oh, that voice._

How different that voice was now. Confusion flooded through Dick’s burning heart. He looked up into the mask, his eyes focusing on that single grey blue eye. It was void of kindness. Old and new betrayal threatened to rise within Dick’s chest. He felt it crawl upward, as if determined to overpower his heart. He crushed it back down.

“What’re you doing, Dad?” whispered Dick. That grey blue eye widened. “You promised.”

Another blow punched into his stomach. A kick smashed against him; Dick flew to the side, crashing and skidding to the floor. Hands grabbed him by the upper arms and hoisted him to his feet, as if he weighed nothing but a feather. A moment later, those hands slammed him against the wall. Stars briefly danced in Dick’s sight.

As Dick stared into that furious light, the memory of old flooded through his mind. It’d been a dark time, a dark stain on their timeline – that day when Slade had beaten him to unconsciousness. To this day, Dick would never forget the heart gripping fear that had filled every section of his soul.

And within this moment, Dick could see the parallels to that time – except for one important factor to it.

This wasn’t Slade.

It was so perfectly laid out, wasn’t it? How easy it would’ve been to fall into the trap. How easy it would’ve been to let his heart fall back into that fear. But he didn’t, because there was something more inside Dick’s heart, something he knew now after the recent betrayal.

Slade wasn’t perfect and he never would be.

_‘You aren’t perfect. And that’s okay. You’re not meant to be in this life.’_

It was a freeing thought, strange as it was. And because Dick had come to that understanding, because he understood that imperfection with such clarity, however horrible it had been, it didn’t matter if Slade wasn’t perfect. The man would make mistakes, even in the future. He would break his word. Just as Dick had lied, even when he promised he wouldn’t, Slade would make his own mistakes.

But now Dick had a choice.

“You promised you wouldn’t hurt me like this,” asked Dick, his eyes lifting upward, strength within his voice. “So, why are you making that mistake now?”

The man slammed him against the wall.

“I made no such promise,” hissed Slade.

“ _Liar_ ,” whispered Dick. “I haven’t forgotten and you haven’t either. I’ll never forget. And even if you make mistakes, I’ve made my choice.”

Another punch to the stomach slammed the rest of his breath out of his chest. His eyes danced with stars yet again as the pain rushed through his body. Dick gritted his teeth. Just as a leg swung to his side, Dick dropped to the ground. He could feel the _whoosh_ of the man’s leg flying overhead. Dick dove to the left, just in time to dodge another blow.

“You can’t escape, Robin. I’ll make you regret trying.”

Dick lifted to his full height and looked up into the mask that hid his father’s face.

“I’m not trying to escape,” said Dick. “This isn’t real. This is just an old memory, but it’s different. Everything has changed since then.”

The man darted at him, his speed exploding forward. Dick tensed, his eyes watching every movement. He blocked a blow to his right; another blow threatened to knee him in the stomach. Dick flipped backwards and slid into a stance.

“I understand now,” whispered Dick. He stared up at the man, his chest filled with determination.

“You understand nothing, boy.”

“We all make mistakes,” said Dick, his voice growing stronger. “You make them. I make them. And, unfortunately, I’m gonna keep making them. In fact—” Dick breathed out a laugh. “—I’ll probably make a _lot_ of them. I’m going to lie again. I’m going to make stupid decisions. I’m going to act rashly. I’m going to hurt someone with my words. I’m going to lose my temper. I’m going to get my team members hurt because of a poor leadership choice.”

_‘Your true strength cannot come out when you do what is easy.’_

“And because I make mistakes, I should accept that others will do the same. I am so sorry I stopped believing in you,” whispered Dick. “You made a terrible choice and I shouldn’t have turned on you like that. We’re family and family doesn’t give up on each other.”

_‘When you feel like giving up… try a little harder, take one more step – your weakness will become your strength…’_

“By saying yes to being adopted, I accepted more than either us really realized,” said Dick, a smile lifting through every part of his expression and heart. “We’re gonna hurt each other. It happens. That’s the sacrifice we make for being close as a family. After not having that for so long, I refuse to let it go. I won’t stop believing in you. Because I know your heart. I know you’re a good man. And I’m proud to be your son.”

The pain in that grey blue eye was different. It was a pain of deep hurting fear and anger, as if it couldn’t understand those words – or, perhaps, didn’t want to understand.

Dick bolted forward and shoved his palms against the man’s chest. The man slammed against the wall. The visible eye widened.

“That was for my Dad,” whispered Dick, crossing his arm in front of the man’s chest and pushing down. “I’ll be sure to tell him when I see him again.”

There was a sharp intake of breath.

“We’re so very much alike,” whispered Dick, his voice echoing a familiar tone. “Aren’t we, _Robin_.”

That grey blue eye widened further, before the color melded to bright red. The tall form began shrink, until the dark doppelganger stood in the man’s place.

“You still can’t escape,” hissed Dark Robin. “You still can’t—”

“We’re more alike than you want to admit,” said Dick, overriding the other boy. “You can’t lie to me – I know it. I feel the same. I never wanted to admit that we’re the same.”

Dark Robin struggled against the wall, squirming beneath the hold on his chest. Dick slammed his hand against the wall; the sound echoed through the room. Dark Robin stilled, those red eyes alight with angry fear.

“You’re dark. I’m light,” whispered Dick. “There was always supposed to be a line drawn between us. But that’s not the truth, is it? All this time we’ve been lying to ourselves. You don’t want to admit that you have the same weaknesses as me, the same strengths.”

“I have no weaknesses. If anything, you’re my weakness and when this war is over, I’ll be rid of you.”

“You love Starfire,” whispered Dick, his eyes boring into those glowing ones. “Just like I do. You have the same insecurities as I do. Will I ever be normal? Will I ever have a family? Will I die young, like my parents? Will Batman ever love me like a son? Why do I feel so angry sometimes that I just want to smash my fist into a wall?”

Dick’s voice dropped, deep emotion entering his tone.

“When the pain in my heart and mind gets too much that I can’t even stand it for a second longer, why do I want to bite my tongue so hard that it bleeds?”

Pain laced through those unnatural glowing red eyes.

“How many times have those thoughts gone through your head, Robin?” asked Dick, the rare emotion still present in his voice. “They’ve gone through my mind many times, especially when I was younger.”

Silence remained between them. Dick stared into those red eyes, never wavering in his own gaze. After a few moments, he broke the silence.

“It was easier to bury all that,” whispered Dick. “To let myself believe that my feelings were supposed to be suppressed. Or that what I felt wasn’t ‘cool’ or ‘manly’ or what I felt was ‘childish’ or ‘weak’ – or whatever  label someone wanted to put on _my_ feelings, as if they had the _right_ to do so. When I was Robin, I forgot to feel. I forgot to be myself. I forgot to be the person my parents wanted me to be.”

Dark Robin sneered. “What?” he said with a mocking hiss. “A weakling?” He scoffed. “You should’ve stayed as Robin. You’re weaker than before. You’re _pathetic_. I can’t even stand to look at you.”

“I’m tired of living with a mask!” shouted Dick. The words spilled from his lips, pouring out of his heart. “I’m tired of bottling of my feelings, just because someone else says it’s a display of weakness. If you think I’m weak, then you don’t understand strength. I’m a fifteen year old kid— _I’m not a brick!_ I don’t want to be so ‘cool and collected’ that I lie in bed wondering who exactly am I—and so driven and focused that I lie to my friends, that I sneak behind their backs, that I work against them—” Dick sucked in his breath, drawing in a gulping breath through his rant. His tone calmed, however. “—Batman did that. I’m not Batman. I’m not Bruce. I’m not Slade. I am Richard Grayson and I get to choose who I want to be.”

Dick pulled up, drawing on strength from his heart as he stared into those dark eyes.

“And this is what I choose,” he whispered with power. “I am not afraid of you. I am not afraid of my darker side. I am not afraid of my faults, my weaknesses, my stupidities, my poor choices – I will not fear. I understand them. And I also choose to push past them all. No one can tell me I’m too weak. No one can say I’m not good enough. _Because I am good enough._ ”

Dick leaned in closer.

“And you know what? I’m stronger than you.”

In that instant, the dream world shattered. The noise of the surrounding battle slammed into Dick’s ears. He stared up at the furious expression of Dark Robin, a hint of angry panic lacing through those red eyes. His head ached somewhat; everything still seemed bad. But Dick found his words were filled with truth. There was no more fear. Now he could face himself head on.

Dick wrenched his arms away, before he slammed his elbow into the doppelganger’s face. There was a cry of pain. Dick shoved the boy aside, jerking his knee upward. It smashed into Dark Robin’s chest. Dick bolted to his feet and took that moment to search around, hoping his friends were still hanging on.

A second later, a body slammed against him. He barreled to the ground, pain ripping through his shoulder. Dick rolled to the side, dodging as another blow rushed towards him. Dark Robin bared his teeth, looking more like a wild beast than a mirror of Dick. In the chaos of the battle, fire demons flooded at them. Dick focused on clearing the area; and for a brief moment, his eyes tore away from the doppelganger.

It proved to be a foolish move.

He saw the unnatural crimson light of those gleaming eyes before it happened.

Dick’s breath caught his chest.

_No—_

A grey hand stabbed him and twisted there, plunging deep into his heart. Pain burst in the area of his chest. Everything slowed down for Dick; his mind, his limbs – the only thing he could do was look up into those terrible red eyes. They glowed with devilish delight. There was a sickening sound as the hand pulled out of Dick’s chest, blood spraying through the air and staining that once grey hand.

The dark incarnate lifted his crimson hand to his face and drew a finger along his outstretched tongue; tainting his lips with the red liquid. A terrible smile spread through those identical features, the terrible light dancing in his eyes.

“I told you I would kill you, Dick. _Sweet dreams_.”

His mind was already beginning to shut down. Sounds were dying all around him, his vision blurring. He wasn’t sure what was going on. Wait, he had something to tell the others—they needed his help. But he was falling backwards. He never felt himself hit the ground. As the last breath shuddered his lungs, as the last heart beat died in his chest, one crystal clear voice rang out in agony through his blackening mind – the final voice that dimmed with his dying body.

_It sounded so familiar… Like someone he had grown, through impossible odds, to love dearly with all his heart._

“ _DICK!_ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Thirty-Six: Rain – At the fall of Dick, the moral of the remaining plummets. Would they lose more in the fight? Were their struggles as useless as Trigon and his servants said? How long would Slade last, before he gives up entirely.
> 
>  **Author’s Notes:** *bounces happily* So, so, the big announcement...
> 
> ...
> 
> What? Why are you staring at me like that? Oi, oi, what up with the pitchforks again? OI, don't poke me with that! I'm just following what one of my beloved reviewers (Yes, you're all beloved, my dears) asked me to do. Of course, that was during Forgotten Bonds, but let's never say I don't listen to my reviewers. Now, come on, admit it. Aren’t you glad I didn’t leave for over a year with a cliffie like this? xD My word, the torture…
> 
> I'm sorry. Yes, I'm laughing right now. No, I'm not gonna stop.
> 
> Anyway, the big announcement... I AM PUBLISHED. It's a full length novel, too. It's 139,000 words and 520 pages. It’s my baby before Forgotten Bonds. Before FB, I had never finished anything greater than 30k. The first draft to this original novel was 90k, but remained unfinished. I learned so many much while writing FB and ItD. When I went back to my novel, I had to really update it since my style had drastically changed. And I can't begin to tell you how happy I am with it.
> 
> _Beyond the Alluring Sky_
> 
> It’s under my penname, Anthezar. It's the start of a series, one I'm still working on outlining. It's a young adult fantasy. It's got magic and it's got dystopian themes in it. It's got a sassy, sarcastic main character. And it's got characters that I truly adore and love with all my heart. If you enjoy my fanfiction writing, then I hope you'll give my original novel a try. :) It's up on Amazon right now and it’s **FREE** today. That’s right, you heard me. Today, Feb 14th, it is FREE. It would be a HUGE support for me if you simply picked up the free copy of my novel. It has to do with the rankings in Amazon. The more downloaded, the higher the rank. Next day, I stay at that rank.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Alluring-Sky-Cycle-Book-ebook/dp/B01N4VQ9X1/
> 
> If you do read it and enjoy it, a review on Amazon and GoodReads would be the most amazing thing ever. I’ll huggle you forever. *huggles*
> 
> In fanfiction news, I will keep writing, but I’m not giving a date to when I’m posting. I will post on my Wattpad account and Twitter account when I’m going to update. But no worries, you don't have to wait long to see what happens after Dick's death. I promise.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Bless you all for your support and your patience! Until next time! ^.^


	37. Rain

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

**Rain**

  

 **June 21st, 2009. Sunday, 11:00 am.**  

She had been too busy to notice. She’d been too focused on her own battle. The fight had been all encompassing. With her strength dying, Starfire had barely been able to keep up with her opponent. She had refused to give up, though. They could do it. They could win.

Until she heard that scream.

It was unlike anything she had ever heard. It was deep – deep from the gut. It was a scream of agony, of anguish, of heart wrenching pain – never had she heard such a sound from a man. She had heard Slade cry out that name only seconds before that terrible, _terrible_ scream.

It was a sound that halted the battle.

She never imagined the possibility that one of them would fall. Nor had she imagined how they would fall. She had ignored it. But she had known it well. It was part of war. Her people understood this. She had seen war take good people before their time. Such was life. Such was the life of a Tamaranean.

But not Dick. War couldn’t take him away from her. It should have taken her, not him – _why him?!_

The world became silent, as if mourning the loss. Nothing moved for that moment. Starfire slowly lowered to the ground, the fight with her doppelganger forgotten. No attack came. Starfire’s feet touched the earth, the burnt, the tortured, the wasteland of the earth. She dropped to her knees and fell back on her heels.

“ _Dick_ …” whispered Starfire.

A _boom_ shattered the air, debris bursting in all directions. A few feet away from Dick’s body, within a newly created crater, Slade slowly pulled himself up. Blood smeared his face. Dirt clung to his suit. His grey blue eye stared at the scene, his body frozen. Trigon lowered to the ground, his eyes gleaming with immense pleasure.

“One by one, you will fall,” said Trigon, his low voice vibrating every heart. “One by one, you will feel the pain of each lost. Behold, your leader, Teen Titans. The first to die a meaningless death.”

Dark Robin threw back his head and laughed; blood dripped from his hand. The war stopped. The battle against the colossal army paused for Rose and Joey. Starfire sucked in her breath, her hands lifting to her face. She heard a chuckle at her side. Someone leaned against her shoulder.

“See? Say bye-bye to your love,” whispered Dark Starfire, laughing softly in Starfire’s ear. “You’ll join him soon.”

_No…_

There was a cry, just as Dark Beast Boy dragged Beast Boy out into the open. The doppelganger threw Beast Boy aside, who was clutching to something in his arms. Starfire’s heart ached as she saw mini Raven. Tears streamed down the little girl’s face.

As Beast Boy turned his head, his eyes widened. “Dick…” he whispered. There was a pause. He shook his head. “No, no, he’s… he can’t be – someone help him up!”

“He’s dead,” said Dark Beast Boy, his lips curling in a sneer. “It’s all over now.”

From the other side, something threw Cyborg towards the scene. He landed a few feet away from Beast Boy. Electricity buzzed at different areas of Cyborg’s body. His left arm was limp at his side and the light of his red eye was dim. Cyborg stared at the unmoving form of Dick; his jaw tightened.

“You’re gonna die knowing that you were a terrible friend to him in the end,” whispered Dark Cyborg. He let out a low laugh. “But then again, you never were a very good friend. You always fought with each other. You abandoned him more than once. You can’t even acknowledge him by name.” The doppelganger let out a low snort. “But it’s too late now.”

Despair entered Cyborg’s countenance. He lowered his head and curled his hands into fists, his body hunching over.

It was so quiet. The stillness was deafening. Nothing moved. No demon attacked them. Everything stopped for this moment. A chill bled through the still air. The fall of the leader meant the end of it all.

And the enemy knew this well.

“What will you do now, Slade?” asked Trigon, his voice rising above the awful silence. His tone filled with mocking. “This could’ve been prevented, if only you had joined me. But you all insisted on fighting me. Your foolishness has brought your end.”

Terrible, dark laughter rose with the smoke of flames.

 _What a poisonous creature,_ thought Starfire.

Slade didn’t move. He continued to stare down at Dick. Pain threatened to drag Starfire down into the under earth of her soul. The true nature of this hadn’t sunk into her mind, however. Accepting this would take time, that much Starfire knew. She had experienced death before. She knew its process for her personally. Time to take advantage of the shock and the denial.

She stood up, drawing herself upward against the pain in her chest. Her body ached from the battle.

“And what would you have offer us for our loyalty?” asked Starfire, her voice soft. Trigon met her gaze. Her friends looked up at her, their eyes glimmering with that never ending despair. She didn’t falter. “You say if we had bowed our knees to you that this death would not have happened.”

Starfire shook her head, her lips thinning.

“But you lie. Would you have offered freedom? We had that. Our lives? We had that, too. And where would we live?” She gestured towards the landscape? “Here? There is nothing here now. This world used to be a glorious place, filled with so many wondrous things – ones I had only just begun to learn about – but now it has been destroyed. By you – you have nothing to offer us, nothing that would entice us to come to you. You only take; you have nothing of your own to give.”

The strength in her voice grew with each word. A growl rippled through Trigon’s throat. No fear entered Starfire’s heart.

“What would that life be like?” asked Starfire, her voice ringing above the still silence of death. “In a world like this – it would be a life of death. We would be alive, yet not alive – half living, half dying. It would be agony. Better that we die here and now trying to save our world than live the death of life.”

Starfire pressed her hand against her heart. She took a deep breath, letting her feelings flow over her soul.

“I will not stop fighting. For Earth. For Tamaran. For every planet you destroyed. And for Dick. I will not stop until you are gone. You are not welcome here.”

A punch to the stomach sent Starfire to the ground. She gasped, rolling onto her side. Tears pressed at her, but she held them back. She looked up at her dark doppelganger.

“How _dare_ you speak to the mighty Trigon like that!”

It seemed that, unknowingly, Dark Starfire detracted Trigon’s fury away from Starfire. In the moment, where the attention had turned to her, Joey took that opportunity to come to Rose’s side. He touched her arm and putting a finger to his lips. She looked at him, tears slipping down her cheeks. She swallowed, before wiping them away.

 _“Listen to me,”_ whispered Joey, only for her ears. _“Can you fight Trigon and the army? Can you keep them busy?”_

She frowned, looking confused.

 _“Can you do it?”_ whispered Joey, more urgently this time. _“I need you to give them all you’ve got. Draw them away from this. You have to or else we can’t save Dick. Give Trigon the fight of your life.”_

“Save Dick? He can be saved?” breathed Rose. Joey nodded. The light in her eyes brightened. “I got this. It’s okay.”

_“Be loud. Be bold.”_

“It’s what I do best,” said Rose with a smirk. She pushed forward, inhaling deeply, before she bellowed, “All right! Dad might have gotten his butt kicked by you, but now you’ve got a real challenger! It’s my turn to take a shot at ya!”

The silence disappeared. Rose launched forward, engaging Trigon in battle. Her taunts echoed through the air, drawing the fire of the two armies. The earth shook from the explosions. Trigon roared in fury, turning his full attention onto her. The demon armies and their two generals, at the command of Trigon, went after her.

 _“Titans,”_ said Joey, lifting his voice with his power. He focused his voice for the ears of his allies only, hoping that the enemy couldn’t hear him. _“I know you’re at your end. I know you can’t keep going. But I need you all to try once more. Just a little longer. Do it for your friend, our brother, and your son. This isn’t over.”_

Green light exploded. There was a scream of pain. Starfire lifted into the air, tears streaming down her face, but the light of determination glowed in her eyes. She stared down at her doppelganger.

“You will not take my joy,” whispered Starfire. “I will still fly. I will not let my power fade. My friends, are you with me?”

Beast Boy set Raven aside. He brushed her forehead, moving the hair out of her face. He patted her cheek, before he stood up. He put a hand onto Cyborg’s shoulder and held out a hand. Cyborg grabbed it and got to his feet with Beast Boy’s help.

_“Go.”_

The Titans burst into action, new fire in their eyes.

 _“Dad,”_ whispered Joey, kneeling beside Slade. He put a hand onto the man’s shoulder. _Come on, Dad, you have to hear what I have to say._

Slade barely noticed.

The devastation on his heart was unlike anything Slade had ever experienced. Of course he had felt the same with Grant, Joey, and Rose during that terrible week where he had lost his family. The guilt that had taken over most of his feelings, however – drowning much of the despair.

This was different.

Blood stained the suit. There was a gaping hole where the boy’s heart was supposed to be. Slade had seen Grant in pieces. He would never forget. He would never forget this either. Those brilliant blue eyes, that had _always_ glimmered with a light unlike any other, were dull as they gazed towards the unknown.

Slade hunched over, his throat swelling. He grabbed the earth, crumbling dirt in between his fingers. His forehead pressed against the ground.

_No, no, no, no – this wasn’t supposed to happen._

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go!

He’d been arrogant. He had thought the only thing that kept him from putting a bullet inside Trigon’s brain was the lack of a mortal body. He had wanted to make Trigon bleed, watch him suffer as he slowly succumbed to death. He wanted to put an end to the creature that had caused his son so much pain.

It had been so simple. One more— _just one more._ One more kill shouldn’t have been a problem. He’d done it countless times before. Kill Trigon; stop the end of the world; go home; down a whole bottle of whiskey in five seconds and hope to get drunk for at least one of those seconds.

But to experience a death so close to his heart… No, it hadn’t crossed his mind.

Of course, he was aware of the boy’s mortality. It was a light worry. He never dwelled on it, except in those moments when it seemed that Dick tried to push the barriers of such mortality. But the true nature of that fragile life – no, Slade hadn’t understood what it would mean to lose him. It was worse than he could’ve imagined. If there was ever a time where Slade thought that it wasn’t fair, it was at this very moment.

The fact remained true: there was a gaping hole where Dick’s heart used to be.

_That terrible hole…_

And there was only one explanation for it.

Dick was dead.

 _His son was dead_.

He was supposed to see him grow up. He was supposed to hold Dick’s son, a grandson, and see those crystal blue eyes in the life of another. They were supposed to share so many more moments together – they all were. His family, in part, had been restored. Their reunion had been tainted by Trigon. It was too soon. _Oh, how soon._ Why couldn’t he have more time? They hadn’t even had a year together. They’d barely had ten months together. Only four of those months had been within official father and son capacity. That was such a small amount of time. Too short. _Oh, how short_.

Such wasted time. He had wasted their time together. It had taken him too long, hadn’t it? He’d been so stubborn. If only he had listened to Wintergreen sooner, maybe they would’ve had more time to be father and son. Maybe the memories wouldn’t haunt him. Maybe his cruelty wouldn’t suffocate him.

_Blast it._

Why did this have to happen? Slade had actually been _trying_. He’d been _trying_ to be a better father. It had become important to him. Why did his son have to be taken from him yet again? Did he really have to endure this death of a child— _his child—_ yet _again?_ It was unjust. Were all the combined Fates laughing at him now? Was he that hated by whatever force designed things in life?

Why did he have to lose another son?

Was he supposed to live in this ravaged earth for an eternity with this pain? Would Joey and Rose endure the years as well? Or would Trigon destroy them all, just as he boasted he would? Would Slade _finally_ have that chance to die? Were… they over there – wherever there was – and would they all be reunited, like a family?

Did an afterlife _truly_ exist?

Why were such lives separate, then? _Blast it all!_

He hadn’t hugged his son enough. He hadn’t said ‘I love you’ enough. He hadn’t talked with him enough. He hadn’t listened enough. It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough.

It would never be enough, would it?

He would never be ready.

The child who had changed his life was now gone – and there in his place was a void of pain unlike any other.

Slade wasn’t going to survive.

 _“Dad, listen to me,”_ whispered a voice. It sounded like Joey. But Slade couldn’t stop looking at the still form; his heart ached at the sight. The hand on his shoulder squeezed, shaking him slightly. That voice grew frustrated. _“Dad, listen to me.”_

At that, Slade looked up at him. Joey looked war torn. Part of Slade’s heart broke; his gentle son had finally faced battle, something he had never liked before. He was nothing like Grant—and at that thought, Slade’s heart groaned in agony.

 _“Are you going to sit here and do nothing?”_ asked Joey.

Slade frowned. “What…” he asked, breathless. “What’re you talking about?”

_“Are you going to sit here and do nothing?”_

“I’m not a miracle worker,” hissed Slade, his voice soft. “What more can I do?”

_“Heal him.”_

Slade sucked in his breath.

 _“They told you, didn’t they?”_ asked Joey, leaning closer. _“You have a gift for healing. They gave it to you. So, use it.”_

“I don’t have—”

 _“Dad!”_ shouted Joey, his voice snapping loud. Slade’s eye widened in shock. Joey glared at him, fire burning in his gaze. _“Are you really not going to try? You can do it – and yet you’d let him go?”_

“He’s dead,” whispered Slade with a broken gasp. “Not even I can bring back the dead.”

 _“Try,”_ said Joey, his voice powerful. _“Try it. You have nothing to lose – except your pride. Dad, do you remember? I’ll never forget that day when I lost my voice. You stood there and let them take it. I watched you stand there; I watched you do nothing. It wasn’t until afterward that you broke into action. Don’t do that with Dick.”_

Those words stole his breath.

 _“No, you misunderstand. I don’t blame you,”_ said Joey, his tone dropping. His words become quick, rushing forth with urgency. _“I never have. But you have a chance to change this. Don’t wait any more. Do something. Anything! You can heal the wound. There has to be a chance that he can still wake up. You have to try. You have to believe. If you don’t, then there’s nothing left. Don’t give up, Dad. Please… You’re not the only one who loves him. You’ve got nothing to lose except your son.”_

Slade pulled back, shaking his head. He looked at Joey. He heard his words, but they didn’t sink into his mind. How could they? Even if he could heal… It wouldn’t bring him back. He couldn’t inject Dick with the serum. He didn’t just carry it on his person like bullets – although, if they all got out of this alive, he was going to start doing so. He just couldn’t believe he had some ‘great’ healing power, not after all those years of mercenary work. His hands were the ones that pulls triggers. They weren’t used to heal people.

 _“Dad,”_ whispered Joey. There was something powerful about his voice. _“You have healing for a reason. Use it. If you don’t try, then Dick won’t live. He won’t have a life, a family – and this fight would’ve been for nothing.”_

Bright within Slade’s mind rose the image of Dick smiling brightly. The ghost of his voice echoed, the laughter like a healing melody.

Slade drew closer to Dick. Every part of his body trembled, something he hadn’t experienced since the change. For the first time, in such a long, long time, he felt human once again – with all the weaknesses that came with that mortality.

Slade looked down into the gaping hole in Dick’s chest. He swallowed back the bile, hating the sight of the blood. Never before had he felt ill at its color and stench. Blood should never mark his children.

He didn’t understand all this. He had moved on autopilot, unable to process the meaning between the two forces that were very much present on this battlefield. But Joey was right. Slade didn’t have to understand it right now. He only had to ignore all the stubborn voices inside his head. The single truth stood like a banner above them all: he wanted his son back.

And, after all, what was the harm in trying?

Slade placed his hand over the wound. The trembling in his hand worsened. As he pressed over the hole, his skin slipped over the slick surface. Slade closed his eye.

The whole thing made him feel foolish. This was ridiculous. This was false hope. Him trying to heal?

Nothing happened. He felt nothing.

“I can’t do this,” said Slade, pulling his hand away. A hand thumped him on the back.

 _“You’re not some thirteen year old who can’t bother to do his homework,”_ snapped Joey, the frustration exploding out in his tone. _“This isn’t something you can walk away when it gets tough.”_

Slade glared at him.

_“Don’t look at me like that. What, don’t you want Dick to live?”_

“Of course—”

_“Then, DO something about it!”_

Slade didn’t answer, looking back down.

 _“You have to want it,”_ whispered Joey. _“So… what do you want?”_

Slade looked down at Dick’s eyes, the shine long gone. He hunched over the boy’s chest, placing a hand over the hole.

“I want him to live,” cried Slade, the desire springing from deep within his heart. The palm of his hand tingled. “I want him to be alive! I want him to be happy!”

Power surged.

Slade sucked in his breath, jerking back. He looked down at his trembling hands, which were marred with dirt and blood. But he had felt something. It wasn’t his imagination. He had truly felt something. His breathing quickened. He swallowed.

“Come back to me, son,” whispered Slade, a slight crazed fervor in his tone. He placed both hands over the hole. He continued to whisper, unsure what to say, but unable to stop now. “You come back to me, you hear, you— you disobedient little brat. You’re—You’re in too much trouble to die now. I don’t know how or what, but I’ll figure it out later.” There was a choking laugh from Slade. He gasped for breath, his emotions pinning down his heart. “You’re still young, far too young to die. You still have a long life ahead of you. You’ve got college, hero work, marriage, kids—whatever you want, you still have to do. So, don’t you dare die on me now!”

The sensation burned the palms of his hands.

All he wanted was his son alive again. A son should never die before the father. Dick had no business dying right now. There was too much life inside of him. There were too many things he still needed to experience. There were too many people he needed to protect. There was so much ahead, so many memories to be made, so many hearts to touch – his time _could not_ be now.

“You’re not allowed to die, Dick,” whispered Slade, his eye burning bitterly – it had to be the flaming landscape. “I’ve already lost one son, I _will not_ lose another!”

Power flared from Slade’s fingertips as the words fell from his soul. White light encased his hands as they hovered over Dick’s chest. It flowed into the hole inside Dick’s chest, completely filling it with that blinding white light. The light trailed upward through his neck and glowed inside his mouth and eyes.

_Why him?_

_Why had they chosen him?_

As the light faded from Dick’s chest, a rising and falling began there once again. What had once been a empty, bloody hole, now filled with unmarked flesh. Hope began to fill Slade’s chest. A moment later, there was a drawing breath.

The boy’s eyes slowly began to move beneath his eyelids. Then, ever so painfully slowly, as Slade held his breath, the boy began to open his eyes. Slade exhaled at the sight of those stunning crystal blue eyes. A wave of powerful emotion of the like he had never felt before washed over him. It was too much for him. Slade’s breathing became heavy as he tried to control them.

“D–Dad?” murmured Dick weakly, his eyes closing once before they opened again.

_His son was alive._

_He didn’t lose him._

Dick was pulled into a powerful hug. His mind was groggy. Images flashed in his mind, yet he couldn’t focus on the events. Where was he? What had happened? Slade was holding him against his strong chest, his arms wrapped around Dick’s shoulders. He could feel an erratic shuddering going through the man’s body. A wince of pain wracked through his body briefly, causing Dick to groan. An instant later, Slade pulled back and his worried expression appeared into Dick’s sight.

Dick sucked in his breath, his eyes widening.

“Are you all right? Where does it hurt?”

Those strong arms were still wrapped protectively around his shoulders, but Dick could only stare up into the man’s face, the shock of what he was seeing flowing over his entire body. Something wet dropped onto his cheek. It was hot.

But there was no rain.

Oh, what had Rose said, when she fought against him four months ago? She had mocked him in her delirium, when her soul hadn’t been anchored to the earth. But what she had said was truth.

_“When you die, it’ll be like you’re ripping out that man’s heart with your bare hands; crushing it, smashing it into nothingness… He’ll mourn your death far greater than Grant’s death. Why? Because he grew to love you… He’ll be devastated.”_

A hand touched Slade’s cheek. A thumb laced beneath the man’s visible eye.

“I’ve never seen you cry before, Dad.”

That grey blue eye widened, the tears still pooled beneath there. The man’s jaw clenched, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. Dick smiled at him, moving his hand to rest on the man’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” continued Dick, his weakened voice gathering strength. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. You’ll have plenty of time to straighten out my mischief making.”

Slade’s face scrunched up, as a pained chuckle broke through his lips. Another trail of tears slipped through. The man jerked Dick back into his chest. Hot droplets fell onto his neck. Shuddering wracked the man’s body as Dick slipped his arms around his waist and held as tightly as his tired limbs could do so.

“ _Impudent little imp_ ,” came the whisper into Dick’s ear. The sound of Slade’s voice was hoarse and choked with emotion. He smiled and patted the man on the back.

“The best of his kind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Time:** Chapter Thirty-Seven: Full Truth – With their leader alive and well, the war takes a new turn. The Titans have a chance at overcoming their own dark selves. However, will it be enough in the end? 
> 
> **Author’s Notes:** I feel like this series wouldn’t be complete without the, “He’s dead. Boo hoo. PSYCH!” thing I seem to do. xD Also, I haven’t spent the time to proofread this. I’ve edited it, yes, but I haven’t had Peter, my TextAloud, read it back to me. I didn’t want to wait any longer. And don't worry, I’ll keep working on writing this beast of a story. Hahah.


End file.
